Tainted Silver
by Mishi Kawaii
Summary: Along the lines of Beauty and the Beast with Kagome and Sesshomaru and a twist.
1. Chapter 1

Tainted Silver

-Intro-

"You dumbass! Kagome is mine!"

"The hell she is dog shit!"

Kagome sighed and walked right past the two rivals. Sometimes they just didn't know when to stop and get a clue.

'You'd think yelling at them about how stupid you think they are would tell them that you aren't interested.'

"Kagome!"

"Move! Kagome!"

"InuYasha, Kouga, leave me alone! Kami, don't you guys have the wits to leave a girl alone for a while?"

"But Kagome, I love you!" voiced Kouga, running up to her side.

"My love is greater than his so-called adoration Kagome," InuYasha said, instantly at her other side.

"I truly don't care," she ground out, aggravated.

The raven-haired girl walked faster, leaving them standing there pointing at each other screaming their heads off.

"Look at what you did!"

"Me? You made her mad!"

Kagome sighed knowing it was a bit impossible and she might as well resign to a life of being fought over she didn't really desire or want to tolerate.

"Kagome, you insufferable whore!"

Kagome sighed as she reached the town square, filled with bustling merchants and wonderful food smells.

"Do you need something Kikyou?"

"Yeah! I need you to back off my InuYasha!"

"I've already told him to back off, but he doesn't listen. Why don't you bring out the whip and chain and show him how to be a good dog?"

Kikyou huffed, obviously angry at Kagome's seemingly uninterested tone, and the blood rushed to her head with a vengeance.

"How dare you implicate that he is being disloyal to me!"

"You haven't been listening," Kagome said softly, walking away and leaving her to her tirade.

Kagome quickly picked and bought several types of vegetables and fruit. She bought the best meat – that she could afford – for her grandfather's dinner.

"Could you give me that piece?" she asked the merchant loudly, hoping that he could hear her over the other's conversations and bartering.

"I will do no such thing," said a female voice, "until you get your grimy hands of my Kouga."

"Ayame," Kagome sighed.

The young red-headed girl was a bit like Kikyou, going after one of the guys that professed love and undying loyalty to her.

"Kouga goes after me even after I told him not to. I told him to marry you instead and he said you were persistent and annoying."

Ayame's face started to blend in with her hair.

"I am not persistent and annoying!" she screamed.

"Tell that to Kouga, not me."

Kagome moved on, looking for the meat that Ayame was obviously not going to sell to her.

He watched her as she weaved in and out of the crowd with her gracious moves and deadly curves. Her sinuous body would be his by the end of the day, there was no doubt about it. He licked his lips in agitation, after all he had been waiting for days, months, and years for the moment that would come soon.

"Kagome," he whispered to the wind.

As if she heard Kagome turned to him, her expression that of anger and disgust. He watched her hair stand on end now that she knew that he was aware of her every move.

* * *

"I'm home Jii-chan!" 

"What took you so long Kagome?" his old voice croaked from somewhere deep in her house.

"It's those damned men again. Some watching, some being bold and making moves on me."

"Aa, use spells on them! I've told you once and I'll tell you again. Use warding spells to keep them away!"

"Jii-chan I don't believe in that and you know it."

"Suit yourself then," he said coming into the kitchen.

* * *

Sesshoumaru looked around, the small girl looking at him expectantly. 

"Why must I tell you this story again?" he asked in an angry tone.

"You promised!" she responded, unaffected by his tone.

"I will only tell you it this one time because I promised. Never ask again," he stated.

"Hai!"

"We were all humans at some point. We weren't the best of them, true, but we had our honor and dignity. We lived alone in the forest."

"Why?"

"Because the villages rejected us for our wits and strength. There were many of us and none of them liked us. Kaede, Shippou, Kohaku, Sango, Miroku, Kirara, and Sota. All of them were loners along with me."

"Why do you live here?"

"Quiet yourself and let me tell the story."

"Okay."

"They disliked us so much that when a young girl was murdered brutally near the edge of the forest they blamed us."

"Why would they blame you? Did you do it?"

"We did nothing," he growled, "but they believed that we had. They found Kaede's hand bloody, though she was merely skinning an animal for dinner and clothes. She had gone to wash her hands off in the river and they found her that way and accused her of the crime."

"What happened? Kaede is still here with us!"

"The village priestess, Midoriko, was sent by her people to punish us for our deeds."

"How'd she do that?"

"She cast a curse on us. She said those with evil in their hearts would be cursed and the others gifted. She cast us into this castle and set a boundary line that we cannot pass no matter how hard we try."

"Well, all fairy tales say there's a way to break the curse. What about yours?"

"I'd have to find a mate and fall in love. Love is something I'm afraid I'll never come near feeling for a female."

"But if you did, then what?"

"We'd keep our curses or gifts as she called them, but we'd be given our mortality back."

"What were the curses for everybody?"

"I was turned into a demon, feared by everybody around the forest that ever had the wits to wander in. Shippou was also turned into a demon, a fox demon to be exact. Kohaku was given the gift of having visions of the future. Sango can go through walls and Miroku has an air void in his hand."

"What about Kaede?"

"She was our old care taker, she was given the powers of healing."

"And Kirara?"

"Kirara was the youngest of us, a mere cat that followed us around. She was turned into a demon cat, cute though."

"Oh!"

"Now go to sleep," he ordered.

He tucked the young girl in and she was asleep before she had closed her eyes.

"And you just wandered in and didn't fear us," he added softly, "just became this house's light."

* * *

A/N: Nice little intro, ne? Review and see if you want to continue with this story! Yes this is a Beauty and The Beast story, all credits given to Disney I think… Well beauty and the beast aren't mine, alright? Inu & Co. aren't mine either. 


	2. Chapter 2

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 2 -

Kagome quietly fixed her hair for her morning walk. She could already hear InuYasha and Kouga's daily ranting and raving; their daily war. She sighed and smoothed out her soft kimono. Plain white with a blue obi. The kimono was her inheritance from her late grandmother. She smiled at her reflection and slipped on her sandals and walked out of her room, grabbing her yellow bag on the way.

"Jii-chan! I'm leaving!"

"Huh?" he questioned, entering the living room. "Oh, alright. Come back safely."

"Hai," she nodded with a smile.

She walked out welcoming the sounds of the busy village. Breathing in the air around her was a habit and she enjoyed doing it everyday.

"Just as I thought…"

She shivered, strangely, with the sun directly overhead. She felt like she was being watched as a predator would its prey. She shook away the notion and set off to the edge of the forest, a shadow of lust following.

"Kagome!" two voices called in unison.

She kept walking as, this being a daily occurrence, they started to fight over who was her owner.

"She's mine!"

"You wish!"

Kagome smiled as the voices of all the people started to fade the closer she got to the forest. She sat on a familiar rock, thinking familiar thoughts, and looking at the familiar scenery of beautiful green.

"Some day, some how, I'll end up married to a guy I absolutely adore," she whispered to herself.

"Kagome," said a deep voice.

Her hairs stood on end as she turned to the origin of the voice.

"Naraku," she croaked, her mouth suddenly dry.

"What are you doing here so far from town? Aren't you afraid?"

"Nothing's happened before," she whispered in fear.

"I've come," he said slowly approaching, "to ask you to become my wife."

Kagome was frozen to the spot, his black eyes holding her frightened gaze.

"You'll be mine in the very aspect of the word. My wife," he said, now closer than he had ever been.

"And if I refuse?" she asked, her body screaming at her to run.

"If I can't have you, nobody can," he sneered, grabbing hold of her by the arms.

She screamed out, silenced when Naraku smashed her to a tree. Fear coursed through her veins, the adrenaline pumping faster than ever.

"You will be mine!"

"Let go Naraku!"

She struggled in his hold, making him smile as he took twisted joy in the fact that she was afraid. He let go of one of her arms to slap her into silence, but she beat him to it. She scratched him from his eye to the corner of his mouth. He let go with a pained cry. Kagome kicked him in the groin quickly and ran farther into the forest.

'I've got to get away from Naraku!'

She ran, the thought of stopping never crossing her mind. He was right behind her, she could feel it. If she turned around he'd catch her for sure!

"Kohaku! Are you okay?! What'd you see?"

"I'm alright. I saw a woman, a pretty woman, running towards the castle."

"She'll be good enough for Sesshoumaru-sama!" squealed a young girl next to two boys.

"Well, go on. We can't leave."

"Hai!"

Her vision was blurred with exhaustion. Her body wanted to give up and resign to its awful fate. Her mind was filled with the will to fight, however, and she chose to listen to it and ignore the aches of her body.

"Help!"

She barely registered the plea and splashing of water. She redirected herself, temporarily forgetting about Naraku.

"Hello?!"

"Help!!!"

She continued towards the sound of splashing. Her breath caught in her throat as she saw a young girl struggling in the water.

"Hold on!"

"Hurry!"

Kagome splashed in, grimacing at the thought of dirtying the meaningful kimono. She gripped the young girl who immediately latched on.

'What would've happened if I hadn't been here?!'

Once on the shore, Kagome soothed the terrified girl. Naraku was nowhere to be seen and she was thankful. The last thing she needed was his presence.

"You saved Rin's life," she whispered softly.

"My name's Kagome."

"Rin's name is Rin," she said with a smile.

Kagome giggled at the little girl.

"Could Kagome-chan take Rin home?" the small girl asked, hope bright in her eyes.

"I-"

"Please?"

"Yeah. I mean yes, yes I'll take you home."

Rin smiled as she thought of Sesshoumaru.

They walked for what felt like hours, though in reality there trip was merely minutes. Kagome, following Rin's example, kicked a rock for her amusement.

"We're almost there!" the young girl squealed.

Kagome looked up and shock flowed through every fiber of her being. Rin didn't have a home, she had a mansion! Kagome followed Rin dumbly, her mind unable to process any thoughts.

'Dear Kami, what is this place?!'

She dully registered a feeling of uneasiness and dread pass through her. Then all of a sudden the forest became a sanctuary. She looked behind her, noting they had passed the gates.

"Come on Kagome-chan!"

Kagome walked faster, to Rin's pleasure. Everything around them was silent. She felt dozens of eyes on her.

__

She's new…

She looked up to find birds staring at her curiously.

__

She's a stranger…

Squirrels and other animals stood, watching her every step.

__

She's special…

Kagome unconsciously gripped the young girl's hand harder.

__

She's his savior…

She jumped as the birds and other wildlife suddenly erupted with noise. Rin didn't seem to notice and kept walking.

__

Short, yes, but deal with it. I do not own Beauty and the Beast and I certainly don't own Inu & Co. Though I find it a bit useless to say I do and spend my time writing stories on instead of publishing them, don't you think?


	3. Chapter 3

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 3 -

__

A/N: This is Sess/Kag. Enjoy and give it a chance.

Kagome looked around as Rin pointed out her surroundings.

"That's the duck pond," she said pointing at a small lake.

A female duck waddled into sight, her ducklings loyally following, to emphasize the fact that it was indeed a duck pond.

"There are flowers everywhere! Rin picks them for Sesshoumaru-sama."

Kagome nodded while looking around at the myriad of wild flowers.

'Sesshoumaru? That must be her father's name.'

"Are you tired Kagome-chan? Rin's tired."

"Huh?'

Rin pointed to a nearby bench.

"Yes, I am tired."

Rin quickly pulled her onto the wooden bench and dangled her legs.

"Where are you from Kagome-chan?"

"I'm uh… I'm from a village that's a bit far from here."

"How far?"

"Very far."

"Then what are you doing so far from home?"

"I was being chased by this dog you see," she said nervously.

'Hey, it's not that far from the truth,' she thought.

"Do you have a family?"

"No, I only have my grandfather."

"Can we go now? The others must wonder where Rin is."

Kagome quickly nodded and stood along side the young girl.

"Is Kagome-chan married?"

"Iie."

"Good."

"Good?" she asked, even though her question would likely go unanswered.

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"Where is Rin?" a voice growled.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Answer my question!"

The group looked at each other questioningly and shrugged.

"You were supposed to watch her damnit," he snarled, all of them shivering in response.

The front door opened and closed. All of them cast hopeful glances at each other.

"I smell two humans," he growled, glaring at them.

His eyes landed on the young boys, whom cowered in guilt and fear.

"Well?" he growled menacingly.

The boys gripped a young woman with fear. The man growled again and left.

"This isn't going to end well," the female said finally.

"I agree," the male responded.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Kagome looked towards the dark hallway the young child was speaking towards. Two golden eyes bore into her own grey eyes.

"Human," a voice said, and fear kept her rooted to the spot.

'H-Human?' she thought. 'If he's not human, what is he?!'

His eyes left her, scanning the young girl instead.

"You're cut and bruised," he growled.

Kagome screamed suddenly, being lifted off the ground by the man. She clawed at the hands gripping her neck to no avail.

"How dare you hurt an innocent child so as to lead you here!"

"Sesshoumaru-sama! No!"

The voice of the girl, Rin, faded as she found herself thrown over the man's shoulder. She pounded on his back while screaming her lungs out.

"Let go! Let-"

The man suddenly shoved her to the ground. Her head hit the cold floor twice, having bounced back up the first time. She heard metal hit metal before giving into the darkness.

"Sesshoumaru! That was uncalled for!" yelled the young female from before.

"Don't argue Sango," he growled.

"Kagome-chan saved Rin!" the young girl said between heart-felt tears.

"Rin," he said softly.

"No!"

Rin ran up the stairs. He restrained a sigh and turned to Sango and Miroku. They both looked at him expectantly.

"What?" he sneered.

"Nothing," they said, crossing their arms.

"She's just another gold digger feigning innocence."

"She's not," whispered a young boy.

"Souta!" exclaimed Sango. "Look Miroku, he's talking!"

Miroku nodded, a fond smile on his face.

"She's a good person," Souta whispered, "and very much innocent."

"How would you know?" snarled Sesshomaru.

"You forget his curse," added another boy, "he can see other's auras. He's got quite a skill."

"Kohaku's right," said Miroku.

"You, of all people, should know if she lies and has cruel intentions, ne Sesshoumaru-sama?" questioned Souta.

Sango turned to Sesshoumaru.

"We understand that you're overprotective of Rin and all, but you scared all of us by putting the young girl in the basement."

"Under lock and chain, no less," said Miroku.

"I have no time to listen to your ramblings," he sneered, unwilling to admit his mistake.

"We've got all the time in the world," an old voice croaked, "and you know so Sesshoumaru."

An old woman appeared at the top of the stair case, Rin in hand.

"Kaede healed Rin!" the young girl happily proclaimed.

"I heard you all the way up there," Kaede said slowly, walking down the stairs, "and I've got a question for you."

Sesshoumaru watched her step onto the last stair and face him, Rin blending into the group.

"You test my patience old woman," he growled.

"Calm yourself."

"Ask your question and let me be on my way!" he demanded.

"How dare **you** mistreat a young woman who only saved young Rin from drowning?"

"I would've heard her if she was-"

"That far out of the barrier?" she questioned.

Rin looked up at Sesshoumaru with childish innocence.

"Kagome-chan saved Rin," she whispered.

He narrowed his eyes at all of them.

"Do as you please."

He walked up the stairs, his footsteps echoing in the silence. His door closed with a resounding bang. They cringed as something fell from the force of the door hitting its frame.

"Well? Spring into action you fools! Fetch the young girl!"

They all quickly scampered down the stairs, following the elder woman's orders.

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"Kagome!"

"Shit," growled Naraku.

"Where's Kagome you bastard?!"

"Obviously not here idiots."

"Hey, look," said InuYasha softly.

"What is it?"

"Kagome's bag," growled InuYasha, his eyes settling on Naraku.

"Find anything boys?" asked a soldier that acted as peacemaker in their small town.

"Yeah. We think Naraku did something to Kagome," said InuYasha angrily.

"Look at him and the ground! Kagome struggled to the end and then ran!" Kouga said proudly.

"Who's this bastard?"

"Naraku," stated one of the people that surrounded them.

"Naraku? The murderer Naraku?"

"Mm-hmm," they all said.

"Sir," the soldier said, several of his companions emerging from the crowd, "I'm afraid you're coming with us for the murder of Kagura and Kanna Nihsnek and the disappearance of Kagome Higurashi."

"If I refuse?"

"You are in no condition to refuse sir," said the soldier while drawing his sword.

"Kouga," said InuYasha, "I'll leave it to you to explain to Kagome's grandfather what happened."

"What did happen?"

"Naraku attacked Kagome and she ran into the forest."

"We should-."

"The soldiers are already doing that."

Kouga nodded and left towards the other side of the town. InuYasha stared at the forest longingly.

"Kagome…"

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"Naraku Isarugi, you are hereby condemned to death by our laws for the murder of Kagura and Kanna Nihsnek. Before you are killed, however, you will be severely whipped and questioned on Higurashi's whereabouts. Have you any evidence that may indicate your innocence?"

"I've been framed!" he yelled.

"I see. Guards!"

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"Sesshomaru-sama?"

"Yes Rin?"

"Will you let Kagome-chan go home to her grandfather?"

"No Rin."

"But-"

"She will alert her kind and they will come to take you away and try to kill us."

"No she won't! Kagome-chan saved Rin's life!"

"She will not leave and that is final!"

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Kagome awoke to a sun-filled room with figures huddled over her.

"Look! She's waking up!"

"I can see that love."

"All the wounds should be gone now."

Kagome resisted the urge to keep sleeping but in the end it won over her resistance.

"Aww… Let's go guys, she must be exhausted anyways."

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"Rin, sit still and eat your dinner."

"Yes Sesshoumaru-sama," she whispered.

"Where is the other human?"

"Her name is Kagome," interrupted Sango.

"Human."

"Kagome."

"Human."

"Ka-Go-Me."

"Fine," he growled through gritted teeth, "Kagome."

"She is sleeping."

"I demand her presence here."

"I repeat to you that she is resting after the beating you gave her."

Sesshoumaru stood up and left the dining room. Sango sighed and muttered a few curses his way.

"Woman! Come out!"

"Why?" asked Kagome, armed with a vase in the locked room.

"I demand your presence at our dining room human!"

"Kagome!" somebody screamed from the first floor.

"I refuse to leave the room unless it is to go on my way to my own home!"

"You will not leave this castle Kagome so you might as well follow our rules or suffer the consequences!"

"I refuse to leave this room!"

Silence filled the room as Sesshomaru left. She cringed when she heard various objects hit the floor and break. Tears filled her eyes and spilled as her head hit the white pillow.

'I am a prisoner here and I will never see my grandfather again.'

She cried her worries into the pillow. Several minutes later she heard a knock on her door. She ignored it, turning the other way.

"Leave me alone," she whispered.

"You'd be better off with company."

Kagome shot up, quickly turning to see a young woman on the edge of the bed she was on.

"How did you-"

Sango's smile faded at Kagome's panicked expression. She stood up and opened the door to let others in.

"First of all, we'll tell you our stories…"

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"So you came in because you can walk through walls?" Kagome asked, animatedly patting a young demon cat.

"Yes. Kirara there is a full demon, but a bit more on the gentle side."

"Wow…"

"Kagome," Miroku suddenly said, "never go into any of the locked rooms."

"Huh? Why not?" she asked, naturally curious.

"None of us are allowed into them because Sesshoumaru said so and we rely on his judgment."

"Alright I guess."

"Good. I'll retire then. It's my turn to clean and cook in the kitchen tomorrow. Ja."

They all waved good bye as Miroku closed the door behind him.

"So Kagome, what'd you think of Sesshoumaru?"

"I've only seen a little bit of him. He has gorgeous eyes and closely resembles this guy in my village. He too has beautiful golden eyes and silver hair."

"Do you think anybody will ever love him and vice versa?"

"He doesn't truly care for humanity much, now does he?"

"That's true. Anybody back home you already miss?" Sango added with a wink.

Kagome's cheerful face fell, replaced by one of hurt and worry.

"My grandfather…"

"Oh. Is he all you've got left?"

Kagome nodded, the need to cry resurfacing.

"He's alright."

"Excuse me?"

"He's alright," repeated Kohaku. "I had a vision and he's alright. Two guys are looking after him."

"Kouga and InuYasha," she said fondly.

"Seems as if you don't have to worry for him much," added Sango with a smile.

"Yes, yes it does seem that way."

"You're sad still," said Souta.

"What? How'd you-?"

"Your aura is clouded with the grey of sadness and depression."

Kagome smiled at the young boy.

"I'll be okay."


	4. Chapter 4

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 4 -

A/N: Oh the joys of being young…

Rin quietly roamed the halls, a troubled expression grazing her features. Everything was unusually quiet around the castle; both inside and out. Sango and Miroku weren't out of their chambers yet and the boys were still sleeping. Kaede was mixing herbs in her room and Sesshoumaru was sulking in his own room. She softly knocked on one of the many wooden doors in the large castle.

"Kagome-chan?"

"Hai?"

"Can Rin come in?"

"Yes, come in."

Rin quietly turned the knob and walked in, the door closing behind her gently. Kagome patted the seat in front of her vanity mirror and smiled. Rin nodded as she made her way to Kagome and sat down. Kagome softly passed a brush through her hair murmuring compliments.

"Kagome-chan, Rin has a problem."

"A problem?" she asked with genuine concern.

"Rin wants a new father."

Kagome's eyes flew open. She stopped brushing her hair for a second before resuming her activity.

"Who'd you have in mind?" she asked softly.

"Sesshoumaru-sama. He is sweet to Rin and acts as a father to Rin. Rin wants him to be her dad."

"Well then," she spoke, lying the comb down on the dresser, "you should ask him."

Kagome smiled at her tentatively as she picked the young girls hair up into a small pony tail.

"Do you think he would agree to being Rin's dad?"

"Well, yeah! You're such a sweet little girl! I would want to be your mom if I had the chance," she said smiling.

"That would be great!" Rin said, suddenly standing up.

"Sesshoumaru-sama can be Rin's dad and Kagome-chan can be Rin's mom!"

"Now Rin-"

"YES!"

Kagome sighed as the young girl ran out the room.

"I didn't mean I was going to be your mom along with Sesshoumaru-sama," she said to the empty room with a frown.

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"Sesshoumaru-sama! Sesshoumaru-sama!"

Said person groaned as he lifted himself into a sitting position on his bed. The black silk sheets pooled around him as he groggily set his eyes on the door that would open in no less than three seconds.

"Sesshoumaru-sama! You're awake!"

Sesshomaru grunted in response as the young girl closed the door and threw herself onto his bed.

"Sesshoumaru-sama!"

"Rin, please lower your voice."

"Yes Sesshomaru-sama."

Sesshoumaru slowly rubbed his temples trying to get rid of a dull ache that wanted to make its presence more well-known.

"Did you need something Rin?"

The young girl fidgeted on his bed, grabbing his sheets and staring at them with a scowl on her face.

"You have nice sheets Sesshoumaru-sama."

"Rin, please tell me you did not wake me up to tell me I have nice bed sheets," he said firmly.

"No. Rin wanted to ask Sesshoumaru-sama if he wanted to be her father."

"Oh, I- what?"

"Rin understands if Sesshoumaru-sama does not want to be Rin's father," she said quickly.

"I thought I already was," he said with a smile.

The young girl smiled too and launched herself into his arms. The young girl started to jump on his bed, jarring his head and making the dull ache expand.

"Rin, settle yourself!"

Rin quickly crossed her legs Indian-style and landed that way on his bed. She, however, still had a joyous smile on her face.

"Guess what father!"

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at her change in name towards him. With a small 'what?' he got up and started to lift himself off the bed.

"Kagome-chan is Rin's mother!"

Sesshoumaru's foot caught on the edge of the silk sheets and fell face first, catching himself before he hit the floor.

"Excuse me?!"

Rin visibly cowered under the mighty rage that had broken out from the few words.

"Rin is going to go cook breakfast with her okaa-san."

"Rin," he growled, "what did you say before?"

The young girl gulped as she inched towards the door.

"Rin said that Kagome-chan agreed to being Rin's mother. BYE!"

She bolted out of the door, Sesshoumaru not bothering to run after her seeing as there wasn't much information he could get out of her. Plus, there were so many things going on his head he didn't know what he should ask first or how to ask it.

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The day went by fairly fast, Sesshoumaru hadn't left his room all day and for that everybody was thankful, especially Kagome. Sesshoumaru, on the other hand, was sifting through papers and ended up on different positions in his room. He went from his bed to his floor and everything in between. He found no comfort or familiarity in any of the positions he placed himself in.

'What is going on?' he asked himself angrily.

He threw vases around but even the violent crashes didn't bring back any familiarity. Something was very wrong and he knew it. Rin and Kagome kept popping into his head making him feel rage and nothing but rage.

Rin, his adopted daughter, had chosen a mother without his consent. The mother was a conniving gold digger, to top it all off, and would want to seduce him in time. Then when he least expected it, she would run off with his money and Rin, saying things only a human would. They lay claim to things that were already clearly owned by others so easily. He threw open the doors to his balcony only to hear singing.

'Damned woman howling so others may hear her!'

He, however, paused and listened. He heard her soft melodic voice create distressful sounds and he could smell the salt of her tears.

'What am I doing to her?'

__

Exactly what they did to you at some point…

'It is payback,' he snarled to himself, 'she deserves it.'

__

Does she? Does she really deserve your wrath when all she did was save your daughter?

'She is of the same society that trapped me here in this form! If it weren't for humans I would still be out there living happily.'

__

You forget you were once human also.

'Once is enough. They should all pay for what they did to me, they had no heart.'

__

She has a heart…

'She has no heart. She is a woman.'

He furiously closed the doors, snarling at anything and everything.

"All women are conniving creatures whose only purpose is to kill you and run away with your precious possessions!" he sneered to the void air.

He threw vases in anger, ripped the sheets off his bed, threw books in different directions, and threw a knife through a covered mirror. The glass shattered and the silk fell. He roared at the sight of himself: red eyes, silver hair, claws: a monstrosity.

'Is she not afraid?' he growled.

__

She is afraid...

'Afraid that I will kill her as I should,' he sneered.

__

You are afraid.

'I am not afraid!'

__

You are afraid of rejection.

He grabbed the shattered glass with his bare and threw the shards in different places.

'This has nothing to do with who I am!'

He stormed out of the room, everybody looking out of their rooms startled. He ripped the door to Kagome's room open and lifted her by her shoulders, some of the glass that had been in his hands digging into her skin.

"Are you scared?," he snarled.

Kagome looked into his eyes, which stood out in her dark room that was only lit by the moonlight.

"I am scared," she responded softly.

"Do I scare you?"

"I do not know who you are," she said calmly, refusing to let the pain of the glass overwhelm her.

"Do you not mean what I am?" he sneered.

"It does not matter what you are," she said with tears, "it matters who you are."

He let her go suddenly, immediately gone.

"Kagome?"

"It's okay Rin."

The young girl peeked out from under the covers, genuine concern in her eyes.

"Are you alright? Did Daddy hurt you?"

"I'm alright and no Daddy didn't hurt me. Go to sleep little one."

He silently watched her.

'Why did she not tell the child the truth?'

__

She is different.

'She could've turned my daughter against me in that single moment.'

__

She is a stranger.

'She could've taken what little I had.'

__

She is his savior.

'Why is she different?'

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"Damnit!"

"Kagome, will you please stand still so that I may remove the glass shards embedded in your arms?"

"I've been standing still if you haven't noticed," she growled moodily.

Sango sighed as she continued trying to remove the small pieces of glass from Kagome's arms. Kagome shifted from side to side, complained from pain, but not once did she outwardly damn Sesshoumaru.

"I would be damning Sesshoumaru to all seven hells by now. Something wrong?"

"No," she said firmly, "I just don't think you should damn somebody that has noticeably been scarred for life."

"Done," she said grabbing piece of a small shard and pulling.

"SANGO!"

Sango ran through the hallway with a smile evident on her face. Miroku watched them with an amused expression. He carefully caught Kagome by the waist as Sango ran off to the kitchens.

"Now, now. Attacking Sango isn't going to make anybody's company more bearable."

Kagome huffed and twisted out of Miroku's grip.

"So," said Kagome with a mischievous glint, "what's the story with you and Sango."

Miroku turned red and gazed around before responding. "We sleep in the same room but she still beats me. I think she's mad at me because she slept in her room last night."

"Would this have anything to do with you goggling my body during dinner last night?"

He visibly gulped and looked the other way.

"Hah, I thought so. Just say you're sorry and mean it. Stop looking at me like I'm some precious piece of meat that you want to eat. Be adoring and worship her."

Miroku nodded and went on his way.

"Nice speech."

"Oh, I know. Don't you just love me for it."

"Come on," Sango motioned to her to descend to the first floor.

"I'm going."

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"These," said Sango, "are the training grounds."

Kagome surveyed the large strip of land that looked a bit defenseless. Off to the side was a path completely surrounded by trees.

"It seems defenseless enough…"

"Don't be fooled," Sango said with a smirk.

Kagome smiled tentatively, starting to rethink her decision to train with Sango.

"Come on."

She followed Sango to a small warehouse, which Sango had the key to, and went inside.

"There are bows, knifes, swords, daggers, spears, et cetera. Anything sharp you can use that is remotely harmful you will find here."

"Wow."

Kagome lightly fingered all of the weapons. She bent down and found an odd instrument on the floor.

"What's this?"

Sango looked over her shoulder with a curious expression.

"Oh, that. That's not a weapon. That's a balalaika."

"A balalala what?"

"Balalaika. Strings on wood, guitar? Gypsies and the sort. Nobody here knows how to play it so nobody owns it. If you want to fool around with it feel free."

Kagome nodded and took the strange instrument with her as they returned to the outside.

"Kami, it's hot in there," Kagome said feeling the cool air around her skin.

"Definitely."

"So… Who usually trains out here with you?"

Sango looked at Kagome, desperately trying to keep her eyes open against the glare of the sun.

"I train by myself."

"An invisible opponent eh?"

"You could say that," Sango said with a smile.

They stood there, in awkward silence, before Kagome silently waved her hands.

"Let me see some of that training."

Sango nodded and ran off into the shed. She came back walking a bit differently, because she now had weights strapped to her arms and legs.

"Sango, why do you train?"

"It's a good stress reliever," she said with a high kick, "and it's a good hobby."

Kagome smiled then eyed her strange instrument. She plucked a few chords, giggling. Pretty soon she was just plucking different chords and coming up with a strange song.

'A strange song to go with a strange instrument,' she thought cheerfully.

"Hey Sango!"

"Yeah?" she asked slightly out of breath.

"Come take a breather and listen to this."

"Alright."

Sango quickly eyed the forest, when Kagome turned to look for their jugs of water.

'What are you doing Sesshoumaru?'

"Found them!"

Sango quickly turned around and walked up to her friend smiling. She took a gulp of her water and then sat down to listen to Kagome play the strange instrument. The sounds were strange and yet vaguely familiar. It was true that she did not remember most of her past or childhood but the sounds awakened blurry memories. Had she been part of a gypsie family before? She listened intently as Kagome strummed the strange object and made hypnotic tunes.

'Sleeping chords,' she thought off-handedly.

"Kagome, did you know how to play the balalaika before-hand?"

"Nope. Just learned I guess."

She nodded deep in thought, completely forgetting the shadow of curiosity that was watching them intently.

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__

A/N: I don't own Inu & Co. and I don't own Beauty and The Beast. This part (in the outline) was only A and B and I thought that it was a bit long and should leave the rest for the next chapter since the chapter went up to F. Keep reading and review to tell me what you think and ideas that you might have. You never know when I'll add one of them in there and give you credit, of course..


	5. Chapter 5

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 4 -

__

A/N: My beta reader is great. She will beta this story for me, as well as a story I encourage you to read called Dancing Dragons that I'm thinking will come out later this fall. I also encourage you to read her stories, since I find them very well written. I do not suck up! I merely praise.

'An otaku can only dream but when that is taken… the Otaku is no more.'

-Me.

(Unless you already had it and I thought of it and you thought of it first and wanna fight me for it.)

****

This is her beta. I'm checking it right now. blinks Balalaika is a weird word. smiles

Kagome softly slid out of her bed, the red silk sheets not making a noise as they pooled on her floor. She carefully lit a candle by the moonlight and opened the door a bit. She heard a light creak as she stepped on the floor outside of her room. Looking both ways, she opted for the right. The light pajamas she was wearing, a black pair of shirt and pants, were a gift from Sango.

"This house is so big and nobody ever lets me explore," she whispered, justifying herself to the air around her.

She crossed the top of the stairs to the other side.

**__**

"All you'll ever find on the other side of the stairs is Sesshoumaru's room so don't go over there," warned Sango.

"Have you been there Sango?"

"No, but as Miroku told you, we rely on Sesshoumaru's judgment."

'**They** rely on Sesshoumaru's judgment. I don't.'

She quickly made her way to the first door and opened it. The door wasn't locked and she smiled in satisfaction. The room was dark and possibly had no window. She raised her candle and found it completely empty. The room was, more or less, like hers. She sighed and left the room, silently closing the door behind her.

'Next!' she thought cheerfully.

The next door was open and exactly the same as the one before. She entered it and, again, raised the candle to light the room. This one was also completely empty and devoid of any life whatsoever. Kagome shivered and closed the door quickly.

'I'll make sure to never go into that room again.'

She looked down the hall, ignoring the rest of the rooms. There was one that she wanted to see particularly. One that seemed to be a bit different than the others; though on the outside it was completely the same. She took in a breath, lifted her chin, and walked towards the room.

'This is wrong,' she thought stopping. 'I shouldn't go against what they said after they took care of me so well…'

__

You are curious.

'But then again they are keeping me here against my will.'

__

You have the right to know.

'They should tell me what's in those rooms. I mean, what if they're hiding dead bodies and I'm they're next victim?'

__

You'll never know until you see what's inside.

'Inside could be the answer as to how I can leave this place!'

__

Go inside and satisfy your curiosity.

She turned the knob softly.

He shot up. Somebody was up at this ungodly hour.

Her vision blacked out on her.

'What happened?!'

She looked around frantically. The flame had gone out, leaving her in total darkness.

'Somebody is being curious and going against my will.'

She felt her way around, the door behind her closed. She turned around, not feeling anything anywhere. She couldn't see, the room seemingly devoid of a simple window.

'That somebody is-.'

__

Caught.

"Human," he growled.

__

Your intentions masked by rage.

"S-Sesshoumaru," she said, trembling under his intent glare.

His rage was concentrated on her. So she was different? She was special? She was Rin's new mother? No. She was a conniving female that wanted to kill him during the night and steal away his precious possessions.

__

Believing evil is not in existence is not an option anymore.

He grabbed her by the arms, the wounds from earlier that night reopening. She let out a pained cry, panicked and afraid to die.

__

Will he kill you?

"I should've left you in the basement under lock and chain as I planned to do at first," he growled.

__

Will he let you live?

"Now you only deserve to die."

__

Does he scare you now?

"Sesshoumaru!"

__

Does it matter what he is now?

His claws dug into her as he pushed her out of his room. She hit the rail and crumpled to the floor.

"Tell me human. Are you afraid of what I am now? Of who I am?"

__

Will you run?

"Will you continue to deceive them? You don't fool me," he roared, "because I know what you are and how you think."

__

Will you drift into the never-ending sleep that threatens to claim you?

"Then you must know how much of a mistake I think Rin made in proclaiming you as a father," she sneered from her position at his feet.

__

Or will you fight back?

He kicked her in the stomach, her pained cries fueling his need to hurt her.

__

Will he break you down?

"Rin is my child," he sneered, "and does not need a mother."

__

Will anybody save you?

Sesshomaru looked up in to the eyes of his friends, his family.

__

Or will they stand there to see?

His golden eyes and usually impassive grace were gone. In their place was a blood thirsty demon with eyes of crimson and wrathful movements.

__

Will the innocence of a child be broken as you die broken?

He grabbed her by the hair, not caring when she screamed. Her head was bloody, his claws having scratched her scalp. He pulled her by her hair down the hall. Not once did he pause in his stride towards the stairs.

"STOP!"

He ignored the cry of his daughter, she didn't know better. She was deceived by the evil that had tried to kill him in the middle of the night. She was just as foolish as the rest of them.

He stepped down the stairs quickly, Kagome's body making awful cracks as she hit each step. Her horrified cries stopped halfway as she probably fell unconscious from the pain.

__

Are you afraid of the dark?

"MAMA!"

"SHE. IS NOT. YOUR MOTHER!" he screamed, stopping at the foot of the stairs.

The young girl ran down the stairs, ignoring everybody else's horrified expressions. She threw herself over the young woman's nearly mutilated body.

__

Or are you afraid of waking to the light of day?

"She is my okaa-san," she screamed in fury.

"You are foolish and don't know-."

"I know you almost killed my okaa-san and that's enough!"

He lifted his hand to hit his most precious possession, filled with rage at her disobedience.

"Don't… You… Dare…"

His red eyes returned to the still figure of the woman on the floor.

"It's no use to keep fooling them woman. You will die."

"She is my daughter," she said slowly, coughing up blood on his floor.

"She is not-."

__

Will you make him believe that you are strange?

"She chose me to be her new mother."

__

Will you make him believe that you are a stranger?

"She chose me because she knew I'd protect her from anything."

__

Will you make him believe that you are special?

"She chose me because she knew I'd be strong for her," she said, silently pushing off the ground, falling back several times. "And she chose me because she knew I'd forgive you for anything no matter what it was."

__

Will you make him believe that you are his savior?

His eyes clouded over with gold, feeling inhuman and emotionless. He was turning into the monstrosity he saw in the mirror earlier. He had been about to hurt his daughter and kill a female that had only spoken the truth.

__

Will you?

He looked up the stairs into the teary eyes of his friends, his family. Would they still be his friends? Would he still have a family? Was it an option?

__

But will the others forgive him as you have done?

Their looks gave him impressions of fear, distrust, maybe even hate. Had his judgment failed him with this woman? Would he be his own downfall?

__

Will he forgive himself?

He stepped back, looking at his bloody hands with bits of skin on the tips of his claws. Had he truly been a voracious animal that was excited by the smell of a woman's blood and fear?

"Rin," he started.

The young girl quickly cowered behind her new mother. He'd lost her trust, he realized, and there was not much hope of him getting it back.

"Kagome," he started, unable to look in her eyes.

"I know," she whispered.

She walked towards him, unsteady on her feet. She practically fell into his arms.

"Aren't you afraid?"

"Yes."

He hugged her, his face finding its way into the crook of her neck like he used to do with his mother.

"You should've let me go back when I asked," she whispered.

"No."

She sighed and fell limp in his arms.

"Kagome-chan!"

Kaede groggily stumbled into view at the head of the stairs.

"Something wrong?"

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"You can heal her, right Kaede?," Sango asked impatiently.

Kaede scanned Kagome over grimacing here and there at the bruises and cuts.

"Yes, but I can't heal her totally. I'm afraid I can only do so much. I mean, I don't have that much energy seeing as you guys don't need healing that often."

Sango nodded half-heartedly.

"Do what you can," she said softly.

Kaede nodded and set out to heal the larger wounds first.

"I can only heal so much of the ribs so we'll have to bind them."

Sango nodded again and set out to find the bandages. On her way out she bumped into Miroku.

"Miroku!"

"He locked himself up with most of the wine we had stashed in the cellar."

Her eyes widened and fell on Sesshomaru's room. Everything was a bit quiet, too quiet.

"Is she going to be okay?"

"Yes, but Kaede can't fully heal her. She doesn't have that much energy or practice."

Miroku nodded and entered the room. Sango sighed and left.

__

A/N: Don't kill me. I don't own Inu & Co. and certainly don't own Beauty and the Beast.


	6. Chapter 6

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 6 -

Sunlight filtered into the quiet room. Far away sounds of frustration and fearful screams awakened its only occupant. Arms stretched themselves slowly from inside the silk sheets, nobody noticing.

"What in all the hells that hath fury happened?"

Kagome's blue-grey eyes opened to a white ceileing and an empty room. She touched her ribs, which were neatly bandaged. She slowly turned her head to face the closed door and winced in the process from her neck wounds.

'I have to get up,' she thought.

She quietly slipped her feet ouf of the sheets and onto the cold floor. Most of her thighs were bandaged, she noticed, as were her wrists.

"Sure did a number on me," she muttered.

"Kagome! You're awake!"

She looked up at the open door at Sango. She smiled warmly at her friend.

"Why're you up? You could hurt yourself!"

Kagome batted away Sango's insistant hands.

"What happened last night Sango?"

Sango's eyes took on a dark look.

"I should ask you the same," she said softly.

Kagome nodded, patting the edge of the bed next to her.

"I went and stuck my nose where I wasn't supposed to," Kagome said simply, "and he put me in my place."

Sango laid her hand over Kagome's.

"He had no right and you were curious."

"What happened Sango?"

"He was stubborn and firmly believed you were here to kill him, take Rin, and who knows what else.

"So last night-."

"Last night? You've been out for three days!"

Kagome's eyes widened.

"And since then Sesshomaru's been wrecking his room, drunk. He hasn't eaten and refuses to let any of us in, not that any of us would want to go in.

"I'll go in."

Sango looked at her strangely.

"Are you crazy? Haven't you seen what he can do? I would've gone in but-."

"Sango, I've made up my mind," Kagome cut in.

She stood up and stiffly made her way to the door. Sango huffed indignantly and followed to assist the young woman.

"The keys Sango," she said as she approached the door from three nights back.

"No keys," answered Sango, "we've never found any."

Kagome sighed, her resolve faltering.

'No. He may have hurt me, but it was all a huge misconception because of his distrust."

Kagome scanned her surroundings trying to find a way to open the door. Her eyes landed on Sango.

"Sango," she pleaded.

"Kami," she sighed.

Sango warily appraoched the door and her hand passed through. The door opened with a soft click. Kagome went through and, before Sango could protest, closed the door.

Like before the room was dark and the aif od the candly was unavailable. She oculd feel his eyes on her, but couldn't see his golden orbs anywhere. She took a step forward and felt someone move behind her. Her eyes adjusted to the dark room slowly.

"Where are you?," she whispered in fear.

Something brushed past her shoulder, her leg, then behind her again. She stood frozen in (familiar) fear.

"Sessho-."

"Shhhh."

Her eyes turned left and right, not knowing where he was. Then, against her ear, he spoke again.

"Don't scream."

Kagome's thoughts ran wild, but above all one was prominent.

"He's insane and drunk!"

She felt him behind her an couldn't turn around. Her voice failed her and her resolve was gone. His hands touched her shoulders and slowly made their way towards her hands.

"You're scared."

His face nuzzled her neck and she tensed.

"I'm sorry," he whispered against her skin.

An innocent woman with good intentions was in his room and every fiber of his being told him to mark her as his. His daughter **did** need a mother after all.

"You are strange."

He slipped his fingers between her own, his mind screaming at him that he was forgetting something.

"You are a stranger."

He would watch her every move from then on. His instinctive adoratin for this creature was strange and new, intoxicating.

"You are special."

He lifted her arms with his and hugged her small frame. She was hurt and his mind told him he was guilty of it. Yet the girl wasn't shaking with fear or screaming her lungs out.

"But will you **save** me?"

She turned, her eyes blind. Her hands freely roamed his features from his soft, silver hair to his lips.

"You're drunk," she stated.

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Sango paced back and forth in front of Sesshomaru's room.

"Tense?"

She jumped, startled, and looked into her lover's amused eyes.

"More like worried," she bit out.

"Touchy are we? Is Kagome okay?"

"You could say that," she answered impatiently.

"Then what are you so worried about?"

"Okaa-san isn't in her room!," squealed a young girl across the room.

Miroku turned Sango around and narrowd his eyes at her averted gaze.

"She's in there isn't she?," he questioned.

Sango nodded, spotting Rin's attentive look next to Kohaku and Souta.

"Okaa-san is with otou-san isn't she?"

Sango buried her face into Miroku's chest, worried still. Rin, determined, went up to the door and knocked.

"Okaa-san," she called out.

"Rin?," came the muffled answer.

Everybody looked up at the closed door, waiting. The door opened slowly, light spilling into some of the darkness. Kaogme's pale figure stepped out, alone.

"Miroku," she said softly, "go get the man some coffee. He's drunk and insane."

Sango gripped his hand before he left. He turned to her and kissed her cheek with a smile. Kagome closed the door softly, a crash following soon after.

"Stand still will you?!," she yelled at the door.

Sango had an unexplainable look on her face, one of pure confusion. Kagome giggled at her and pulled her towards the stairs.

"Make some breakfast, will you?"


	7. Chapter 7

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 7-

"Sango," Kagome mumbled through the pancake in her mouth, "these are great!"

Sango scrunched her nose at her.

"Don't mention it," she pleaded.

Miroku trailed in, a disheveled Sesshomaru following. His weary eyes trained on Rin.

'This,' I thought, 'is the moment of truth.'

Everybody stood stock still and silence permeated the air.

"Come eat Otou-san. Okaa-san said the pancakes were good," Rin said happily.

Everybody let out breaths and the kitchen was, once again, filled with conversation, clatter of plates, pots, and pans.

"I believe an apology is in order," Sesshomaru said softly.

I rose from my seat and started to wash my plate.

"I'm sorry for attacking Kagome three days ago. I'm sorry for locking her in the basement when she first arrived here, and I am sorry for scaring all of you."

Everybody muttered their 'it's okay now's and looked towards Kagome expectantly.

"I'm just glad you won't doubt my sincerity anymore and that I didn't cause major damage to your family."

"**Our** family," stated Sango, "you're our okaa-san."

Kagome blushed faintly and resigned with a nod.

"Fine, fine," she said, "just don't expect any additions to the family."

Sango and Miroku laughed while Sesshomaru hid his face behind a cup of coffee. Then the inevitable happened.

"Why not mommy?"

Sesshomaru spit his coffee out in surprise and Kagome paled. Sango and Miroku almost fell over in laughter. Souta and Kohaku wandered in, both equally confused.

"Why can't Rin have a baby sister or brother?." She questioned with a frown.

"You need a mommy and a daddy Rin," commented Souta.

"Rin has them!," she exclaimed impatiently.

"They have to have sex as often as Sango and Miroku," stated Kohaku knowingly.

Kagome turned to a pale Sango, Miroku just sort of turned away.

"Kohaku?," Souta asked, not looking up from his plate of food.

"Yeah?," he answered, confused.

"Run."

Kohaku looked up at Sango.

"Gotcha."

He ran, an enraged Sango hot on his heels, screaming that he only spoke the truth.

"Otou-san?"

Sesshomaru turned wide eyes to his daughter.

"Can you and mom have a lot of sex?"

"I- I- I-."

Kagome promptly fainted and, of course, Sesshomaru caught her.

"We'll talk later Rin."

"But Rin wants a sister!"

"**Later** Rin, later."

"YAY! Rin's getting a sister later!," she squealed excitedly.

"Rin-."

He growled as the young girl ran off. This, he knew, was a hopeless situation. He cradled the woman in his arms carefully.

"You may be innocent, but you're still more trouble than you're worth."

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Kagome, again, woke up to the white ceiling. She groaned and threw back the covers and got up. She looked down at her state of clothing and frowned.

"Sango!"

"Yes?"

"I need a bath."

She stepped out of the room and looked over the banister cautiously.

"Sesshomaru's not here so…"

"Funny. Very funny," she commented dryly.

Sango laughed and waved her off.

"I'll get you clothes," she said between giggles.

"Where **is** Sesshomaru?"

"Out hunting with Miroku. The kids are taking a small nap."

Kagome nodded silently as Sango walked inside her own room, still laughing.

"Could you **please** stop laughing?," Kagome pleaded irritably.

"Yes, but you **must** admit it was risible."

"Just as funny as Kohaku's comment on your frequent activities."

Sango cleared her throat and gave Kagome dry clothes.

"Thank you," she said with a smile.

"No problem at all."

"Kagome stepped out of the room with Sango closely following.

"Are there any indoor springs or something?"

Sango nodded quickly and took her by the arm.

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"This isn't exactly indoors…"

"It's warm and near the castle," commented Sango, "and I'll leave you to yourself. I have to go cook dinner. The guys must be back by now."

Kagome nodded in silent agreement and let Sango leave. Her friend had led her to a small enclosed hot spring that vaguely resembled a sauna.

"I couldn't ask for more," she thought aloud.

She set her clothes on a nearby chair and removed the dirty ones she wore. She grabbed an oversized silk robe and slipped it on. She put her hair up in a messy bun and gave up on the robe. The robe, which was highly uncooperative, covered one shoulder and rested on the elbow on the opposite side. The dark burgundy matched the dark silk theme in the whole house.

"I wonder who used to live here."

She sighed and picked up a sponge and soap. Time to set to work.

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"Sango?"

"In here Miroku," Sango called out.

Miroku grinned and pecked her on the cheek.

"What did you guys bring back?"

Miroku shrugged passively, grabbing a glass and filling it with water.

"A couple of pidgeons and a deer. I picked some tomatos for you, onions, and bell peppers… Good enough?"

"Of course," she praised, kissing him.

"Where's everybody else?"

"Kagome's taking a bath and the kids are taking naps."

"Ah."

"The animals are outside Sango," grumbled Sesshomaru, "I'm going to take a bath because I'm all bloody from skinning the damn thing."

He carried his clothes and a towel with him. Sango opened her mouth but Miroku pinched her.

"Miroku," she growled.

He shook his head. Sango took even breaths trying to calm herself.

"Sesshomaru, Ka-. Sesshomaru?"

Said male was long gone. Sango turned slowly and shoved Miroku.

"Kagome will be **furious** with **me**!"

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'All I need is a hot bath,' he thought, 'and a little time to reassess my thoughts.'

He entered through the back door, the shower half. After a few minutes there he shook most of the water off. He slipped on his clean clothes and walked out, fully intending to soak his tired feet in the hot spring. He opened the door and his eyes landed on a female. A barely clothed female.

'_Her_.'

He narrowed his eyes and continued to watch her. Something in him nearly snapped when she poured a bucket of water on her head. He left quickly, no evidence showing he'd ever been there in the first place.

Kagome turned when she felt a gust of cold air hit her wet back. The door, however, was closed.

"Weird," she stated with a frown.

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Sango cringed when the door opened and closed with a slam.

"Sesshomaru?," she called out tentatively.

"Have you seen him today?," he questioned, avoiding her and Miroku.

"No. Kohaku and Souta took him his breakfast."

"Alright. I'm going to see him now."

He left quickly, leaving no room for discussion or interrogation.

"Uh…"

Sango pointed at Sesshomaru speechless.

"Don't worry," Miroku said softly.

Sesshomaru knocked on the door lightly and walked in.

"Hello Shippou."

A/N: I do not own Inu & Co. and I don't own Beauty and the Beast. I do, however, love your reviews. Thanks guys. You're an inspiration.


	8. Chapter 8

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 8 -

A/N: The questions kids can ask are unlimited and embarrasing.

"Hello Shippou."

The young creature looked up at his visitor, confusion etched into his boyish features.

"Why do you refuse to come out? You seemed fine with it before."

He looked away, not responding to his questions.

"I'm sure you've heard of the human girl in the household, and I don't mean Rin."

He nodded in agreement.

"Is **she** the reason you're in here and not out there?"

No answer.

"Just because you are a kitsune does not mean that she will reject you. Tomorrow you will leave this room, do you understand?"

"She will reject me, she will be scared and hurt herself in her panic," he whispered, "and I will be the cause of it all."

"She will not reject you," he assured, "and I will make sure she does not hurt herself in your presence if that is what you want."

The young boy looked up at Sesshomaru, reluctant and fearful.

"Yes, Sesshomaru-sama."

"Good."

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Lunch was uneventful. Kagome came back from her bath speaking about weird breezes and Miroku left quickly muttering something about needing a bath himself. Sango avoided her eyes while putting a raw animal in the oven to roast, occasionally poking at the hot embers below said oven.

"Sango, you know something that I don't know," she stated.

Sango stood up straight and looked for something invisible and non-existant.

"I don't know what you're talking about," she muttered quickly.

"What are you looking for?"

"Tomatos," she answered.

"They're on the table in front of me," Kagome said.

"I knew that."

Sango reached over to grab the tomatos and Kagome slammed her hand on hers, not letting go.

"What do you know?," she demanded.

Sango looked up at her and didn't know whether to lie or to tell the truth. She couldn't really do either of the two because she was too nervous. She nervously stepped from side to side in her ackward position.

"Kagome, let go," she whined.

"Tell me then!"

"Fine. Sesshomaruwasinthebathwhenyouwereandthat'swhyyoufeltabreeze."

Kagome looked at her strangely.

"What?"

"Sesshomaru was in the bath when you were and that's why you felt a breeze," she said.

Kagome let her go, obviously in shock, and Sango quickly snatched the tomatos away. She turned to clatter pots and pans and look for water.

"Oh."

Sango looked at her and sat next to her.

"Are you okay?"

She shook her head, but stopped midway and nodded instead.

"Yeah, yeah. I just need a nap I guess. I don't think I'll be down for dinner. Tell him for me so he won't go upstairs demanding my presence."

Sango nodded warmly. Kagome smiled and stopped at the door way.

"Sango?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you have cloth and a sewing machine."

"Actually I do," she answered, "I still don't know how to use the damned thing though. All the knobs and the foot thing I-."

"I know how to use it. If you let me borrow it later I'd be most grateful."

"Alright."

Kagome nodded and left quickly. The boys rushed past her on the way up the stairs and she nearly fell.

"What do they run on?!"

She sighed and kept going, hoping to get to her room in one piece. As she opened her door she saw Sesshomaru walk out of a room down the hall and close it softly. She raised an eyebrow and then met his eyes, his golden eyes.

"Need something?"

Her eyes widened and she shook her head quickly. He nodded at her and she ran into her room. He smirked at her reaction, walking down the hall with a little bounce to his step.

"Why so happy Sess?"

"I have no idea Miroku. Investigate for me, will you?," he asked dryly.

"I love you too," Miroku sneered at him.

"I've been knowing that piece of information for a while. Why do you think my doors are locked tight?"

Miroku flicked him off, following him to the kitchen all the same.

"Sango! Sesshomaru did something to Kagome and he's happy!"

"I did no such thing!"

Sango smiled at them, both bickering.

"I should say somebody did something to you Sesshomaru," she commented, "seeing as you never bother to bicker with Miroku."

Both laid surprised eyes on her, then to each other.

"Why you're absolutely right my dear!," Miroku exclaimed.

"I will not comment as to-."

"It's because he saw some skin," stated Souta on his way in.

"I did not!," he growled.

"And his imagination is seeing more," added Kohaku.

"Boys," Sesshomaru warned.

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"What is **wrong** with me?!"

She paced back and forth in front of the mirror, her face unnaturally red. She poked her face repeatedly.

"Am I sick?"

She stuck out her tongue and peered into her eyes.

"No… Am I having an allergic reaction to something?"

She frowned at herself.

"I didn't know I was allergic to anything… The soaps?"

She groaned and threw herself on her bed.

"Something's wrong," she mumbled, "something's very, very wrong."

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"Rin, sit down."

"Otou-san," she whined, "I don't want to sit down!"

"Sit."

"No," she said tentatively.

"Excuse me?," he asked with a glare.

"Yes, otou-san."

She obediantly sat down on her chair and pushed her food around the plate.

"Where is the human?"

Sango looked at him pointedly.

"Where is Kagome?," he ammended.

"She said she was going to take a nap and to not be expected at dinner."

"You should check on her."

Sango looked at him strangely, leaving her food alone.

"Why?"

"Because I can hear her asking herself if she's sick all the way down here."

Sango glared at him and left.

"If you want to eat you should do so first."

"No," she muttered, "I'm not really hungry after a little discussion I had with Kagome while I was making said food."

He nodded and she left. She walked up the stairs and knocked on Kagome's door.

"Kagome?"

"Come in."

"Are you okay?," she questioned upon entering.

"I don't know."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because my face was all red a minute ago."

Sango giggled.

"It's called blushing."

"So I didn't have an allergic reaction to anything?"

"An allergic what?"

"Nothing."

Sango sat on Kagome's bed with a smile.

"You know, Sesshomaru can hear us all the way down there."

"He can?"

"Yeah. Him and his heightened senses. He can see better, hear better, and run better than any of us."

"I'll believe it when I see it," she scoffed.

"Then you shouldn't have to wait too long."

Kagome whirled around and found herself facing a rather familiar set of clothes.

"He's sneaky, I'll give him that much."

She looked up and felt her whole body heat up. She ran to the mirror and poked her red face.

"S-Sango!"

Sango burst into a fit of laughter and ushered Sesshomaru out.

"And no listening in!"

She heard him scoff at her demands. She didn't say a thing until she heard the door downstairs close.

"Kagome has a crush," she stated in a sing-song voice.

"I do not," she growled.

"Do too."

"Do not."

"Do too."

"Do not and that's final."

Sango shrugged.

"Been there, done that. You have a crush."

Kagome huffed indignantly in front of her vanity mirror, her own creamy color returning. Sango gazed at her saddened features and became saddened herself.

"What's got you down Kagome?"

"I want to return Sango. I miss my grandfather and I miss my everyday life."

Sesshomaru stood on the rail of his bedroom, the boys outside playing.

"I miss InuYasha, I miss Kouga, I miss their intended's bitching. I miss them."

Sesshomaru whirled around and stalked into his room.

'Who are the males she speaks of? Why does she miss them? Is she married? Are we keeping her from her children?'

"Why don't I know** anything**?!"

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That night silence kept everybody on edge. Kagome, as she had said before, did not appear at dinner. Nobody ate, choosing to stare at their food instead. When Sesshomaru stood up and left, everybody followed. He knocked aggressively on Kagome's door demanding that she open. Said girl stepped out drowsily in a silk robe that was a couple of sizes too big.

"Yeah?"

He grabbed her by the arm and she squeaked in terror.

"Are we going through this again?!"

He dragged her down the hall and opened the door she had seen him leave earlier that day.

"What in the world-."

"I want you to meet someone."

Sango, Miroku, and the boys peered into the room. Sesshomaru held Kagome in the middle of it.

"Well? Who am I supposed to meet?"

"Shippou, come out."

"If you're trying to get me killed all you have to do is drag me down the damn stairs again," she said bitterly.

He glared at her and she met it with one of her own.

"Hi," somebody whispered.

She looked around wildly. The room was lit by candles but she didn't see a damned thing.

"Hello?," she questioned wriggling out of Sesshomaru's grasp.

"Hi," muttered a small creature on the bed.

"You look like a teddy bear!," she screamed.

She threw herself onto the bed and squeezed the creature to her bossom. Shippou's cheeks colored and Kohaku stiffled a giggle.

"Look Sess," Souta said laughing, "he gets to touch the skin you see!"

Sesshomaru growled and launched himself after the two boys.

"You're so cute!," Kagome squealed.

"And you were worried about scaring **her**," muttered Miroku.

Kagome cuddled the little fox and tickled him endlessly. Sesshomaru walked back in with a smirk on his features.

"Are they hanging from a tree again?," questioned Sango.

"No. They're under lock and chain in the basement."

Sango smacked him and took the key to release the two boys. Rin ran in squealing something about her mother not being in her room.

"Okaa-san!"

Sesshomaru gazed at Kagome's disgruntled figure as the two young kids attacked her with their small fingers. She laughed insistently as they **both** called her 'mom' and in the end settled down.

"It seems now you have **two** kids," Sesshomaru commented.

"Are we getting a brother or sister?," questioned Shippou suddenly.

"No," Rin said knowingly, "mom and dad haven't had that much sex yet."

Sesshomaru paled, Kagome and Shippou became red.

"Um, Rin you need to go to sleep. It's late. Come on Shippou."

"But Rin doesn't want to sleep," she whined, "and it's true!"

"Quiet yourself," she ordered before closing the door to her room.

Sesshomaru stared after them, slowly regaining his color.

"Damn kids."

A/N: I do not own Inu & Co. nor do I own Beauty and the Beast.


	9. Chapter 9

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 9 -

A/N: Slower updates… High School. Thank you for your reviews. They are AWESOME!

A rather wired Rin made her way from breakfast back into her mother's room quietly. She opened the door and closed it, being careful not to make a sound. Her feet were silent as she walked to the bed and poked Shippou.

"Shippou," she whispered.

He only grumbled and turned over so she poked him again.

"What?"

"Rin has a plan," she giggled sneakily.

Shippou's eyes widened immediately.

"Are we hurting someone?," he demanded with a scowl.

"No silly! We're getting mom and dad to have lots of sex so that we can have a brother or sister!"

"Oh," replied Shippou with a fierce blush.

"Are you with us or not?," she asked with a frown.

"Us?"

"Souta, Kohaku, and Rin. We want a bigger family."

"Why don't you ask Sango and Miroku to get you a sister?," inquired Shippou as he bounced off the bed.

"Rin wants a **sister** Shippou, not a **cousin**!"

"Oh."

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"Those kids are up to something," grumbled Miroku in the kitchen.

"No doubt," said Sango with a smile.

"Thing is," stated Sesshomaru, "that they're not talking. They're writing and then disposing of the evidence with fire."

"Fire?!"

"Fire."

The kids ran in with handfulls of paper, giggling maliciously, and they stuck said paper under the oven. They watched the papers turn into black ashes before their eyes before leaving.

"Like I told you. Fire."

Sango grinned.

"At least I know it doesn't involve me or Miroku. It's all about you and Kagome."

Sesshomaru glared at her through narrowed eyes and left quickly.

"I'll find out if it kills me," he growled.

"It'll kill ya alright," muttered Miroku.

"Do you know anything?," Sango asked Miroku quickly.

Miroku showed her two fingers intertwined with each other. Sango burst into fits of laughter.

"Those kids are evil!"

"No, they just want siblings."

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Minutes later Rin walked in with a scowl on her face.

"What's wrong Rin?"

"Miroku, Rin wants to know something."

"Alright… Shoot," he said taking a sip from his warm coffee.

"Babies come from making sex, right?"

Miroku let go of the coffee and yelped as he jumped off his seat. Sango laughed and pointed at him.

"You were so close to not making babies!," she giggled.

Miroku glared.

"I'll let Sango answer you because I have to go change," he said pointedly.

"Sango?"

"Y-Yeah, they do," she stuttered.

"Rin wants to know what sex is then."

Sango stuttered and stumbled over various objects in the kitchen.

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Kagome groaned, a little light headed, and pulled herself away from the warmth of the bed. She passed a comb through her hair, leaving it soft and shiny, and pulled on a light kimono. She felt like time was passing by quickly and she was just standing there in front of a mirror. She sighed and left the room, for once not bothering to make her bed. She slipped into the kitchen and everybody was gone. She looked out the window and noticed them all outside bickering. She frowned when Sango threw herself at Miroku. However, she couldn't stiffle a giggle when Kohaku and Souta jumped on them both.

'Great. I missed breakfast and all the fun.'

She picked up a pan and looked for the bread Sango had made the day before. She grinned and got out a bottle that looked suspiciously like honey. She opened it and, sure enough, it was honey. She grinned and put the bread on the pan on top of the stove. She looked at the cold coffee in a pot and stuck that on the stove top also. Satisfied she looked for a plate and a spoon.

"It smells like something is burning for crying out-!"

She whirled around and found her bread was smoking a little.

"Crap, crap, crap, crap!"

She looked around frantically for something to flip the bread and found nothing. She whined and tried to flip it with her hands. She flipped it with success, burning herself in the process.

"Damn it," she cursed looking at her red fingers.

"You should be more careful."

She turned around and found that, **again,** she was staring at a familiar set of clothes.

"Sneaky."

"Let me see."

"No," she said defensively.

He narrowed his eyes at her. She lifted her head, slightly shaking from the look he was giving her. The bread, now on another side, started to smoke once again.

"The bread," she exclaimed.

He turned and picked up the pan, deposited said bread on her plate, and caught her before she ran all in record time. She hung her head in silent resignation.

"Let me see," he demanded.

"Why?"

"Because I don't need you getting sick with infection and what not while you're here."

"Well this wouldn't be a problem if I was back home!," she mocked.

He ignored her and grasped her hand in his own.

"**Why** in the world would you flip the damn bread with your **fingers**?"

She turned away, ignoring him. Suddenly her fingers were wet.

"ARE YOU SUCKING ON MY FINGERS?!"

"No you imbecile. I stuck them in water."

He turned to her and almost laughed. Her eyes were wide, her face was flushed, and her heart was racing. He grinned.

"Why? Do you **want** me to suck on your fingers?"

"N-No!"

"No, she wants you upstairs right now damnit," barked Souta.

Kagome paled quickly.

"Where'd you hear **that!?**"

"Sango yelled that at Miroku last night," commented Kohaku as he passed by into the household.

Kagome fainted and Sesshomaru caught her, naturally. He closed his eyes with a sigh and turned to leave.

"Have lots of sex!," screamed Rin.

Sesshomaru tensed as everybody started snickering behind him.

"This is getting tiresome," he growled.

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"Kohaku?"

"Yeah?," asked Kohaku listlessly.

"Let's run."

"Gotcha."

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..::Dream Start::..

She reached up and touched the soft silver hair in front of her.

'InuYasha?'

Her hand touched the shoulder of the unknown and he turned to face her. His golden eyes glittered with emotions but his face and stance held none.

"Sesshomaru?," she whispered.

His hands cupped her face in a gesture of tenderness. She blushed confused yet not at the same time. It felt familiar for some strange reason.

"Sess-."

"Sh," he quieted softly, gently, and almost lovingly, "don't say a thing."

He traced her lips with his thumb and she couldn't tear her gaze away from his hypnotic eyes. Before she could blink, his arms were around her waist and pulling her towards him. He touched his forehead to her own with his eyes closed. She felt utterly **confused**. Since when did Sesshomaru show affection towards **her**? Apart from that, however, she felt that this was Sesshomaru without the walls he built around himself and his emotions.

Part of her wanted to give in to the warmth of his arms, the other still demanded to know **what **had happened. She ignored that part of her and laid her cheek against his chest, her eyes closed. She could almost feel his heartbeat and for a moment she felt that they shared that heartbeat.

"Kagome."

"No," she whimpered, "not now."

"Kagome?"

She gripped the fabric that covered his chest tightly, refusing to let go.

"Kagome!"

..::Dream End::..

She stood up, stock still.

"What?," she questioned, confused.

"Let go of Sesshomaru," Sango snickered.

Kagome looked up and squeaked in embarrassment. The man, somehow, was on the floor with her on top of him and he looked to be on the verge of turning blue.

"S-Sorry," she stuttered quickly.

"Kagome!"

"What?!," she snapped.

"Get off him before the kids find-."

The footsteps of said kids suddenly sounded in the hallway. Kagome scrambled up and onto the bed under the covers.

"Find what?," asked Souta, looking around.

"Sango and Miroku again?," asked Kohaku over his shoulder.

"Daddy's in here though," Rin giggled.

"There are such things as-."

"Kohaku," warned Sesshomaru.

"Maybe Sesshomaru walked in on them!"

Everybody turned to glare at Souta, except Rin and Kohaku. All of them turned, however, when the lump on the bed giggled. Kohaku and Souta exchanged surprised glances.

"I think Sango and Miroku walked in on Sesshomaru. This **is** his room after all," Kohaku whispered.

The giggling ceased at the words. Kagome popped up with a murderous glare.

"Guys?," asked Rin.

"Yeah?"

"Run."

"Gotcha."

Both darted out of the room before Kagome had the chance to throw back the covers. She didn't make it past Sesshomaru, however. He grabbed her by the waist and she ended up crushed against his chest.

"I told you!," yelled Kohaku from the stairs.

Souta laughed insanely as he ran after Kohaku. Kagome was plainly frozen against Sesshomaru and he was feeling damn good that morning.

"Relax, will you? You seemed alright with screaming my name out and gripping onto me a minute ago," he commented smugly.

Kagome's face rivaled that of the color red for it's position as she avoided everybody's eyes. Rin, however, thought that maybe that meant that she was getting a sibling or two soon.

"You had sex!," she yelled pointing at them accusingly.

"Kami," Kagome mumbled into Sesshomaru's shirt.

"**And**," she added, "I'm getting a sister!"

Miroku laughed and Sango tried to hold back. Sesshomaru had a strange look on his face and Kagome couldn't find any way to dig herself deeper into the man in front of her so that she could disappear.

"Where did these kids **learn** about all of this?!," she demanded.

Sango responded by pointing to Miroku.

"He said it was best to teach them before they learned it elsewhere," Sango said with a glare, "and this was before we got cursed. He encouraged them to get girlfriends and 'experiment'."

"Oh… Sesshomaru?"

"Hai?"

"You can let go now."

Sango stiffled a laugh with her hand and looked the other way.

"Why? Do you feel uncomfortable?"

Sango whirled around and shot him a surprised look. She was certainly not expecting **that** to come from Sesshomaru. In her eyes, Kagome had just become a love candidate for Sesshomaru and there would be bloody hell in the household until they both fell in love with each other and did all the crap they never tell you about in the 'Little Mermaid' and 'Cinderella'.

"Say, do you want to go swimming Kagome?"

A/N: Oh, don't kill me. I don't own Inu & Co. nor do I own any of Disney's movies. Much slower updates because I'm whirling with how to put them together romantically and stuff. That and I have my sophomore year! And, maybe, the addition of a job. That and I seem to post these and **then** give them to my beta-reader…


	10. Chapter 10

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 10 -

A/N: Eh… Right. I'm still updating slower. I have choir on top of everything. You aren't my first priority, like it or not, but you're near it.

"Sango!," she cried urgently. "Sango! For the love of kami, don't!"

"Afraid of a little water Kag-chan?"

Kagome gripped onto Sango for dear life. Her friend thought she was joking, playing around. She didn't know that the panic the water aroused in her was suffocating. She couldn't swim and who knew how deep the water was!

"Sango!," she cried in fear.

Sango merely laughed at her terror and threw Kagome in the merciless water. She quickly ran out to shore so that Kagome wouldn't drag her under or something for revenge.

"What's going on?," Sesshomaru demanded with fury.

"Kagome," Sango laughed.

Sesshomaru turned to see Kagome splashing water everywhere violently. It was **obvious** that she was drowning. Kagome thrashed this way and that, her feet unable to touch the bottom. She tried to scream but when she opened her mouth she swallowed more and more water. Quickly, the little air she could get from the surface seemed to lessen. The sun light grew dim in her vision and she was swallowed by vicious waters.

'These are my last minutes,' she thought, 'and they aren't in peace!'

Sesshomaru, seeing her not putting as much struggle quickly, threw off his shirt and quickly made his way towards her. As soon as he wrapped his arms around her torso Kagome latched onto him. With her added weight he swam slowly and carefully to shore.

"Kami," gasped Sango upon seeing Kagome's pale visage.

Kagome only shivered in response, not relenting her grip on her savior.

"Let her get over the shock first Sango," Sesshomaru adviced cooly.

She nodded, gripping her hands nervously with guilt.

"Is she alright?," she asked quickly.

He nodded as he ackwardly patted Kagome on the back. He was definitely **not** used to comforting people.

"Probably swallowed some water but it's mainly the fright. She was **obviously** drowning Sango."

"I thought she was joking and-."

"It's alright," Kagome rasped

Sango smiled slightly and turned to see that the remainder of the family was coming into view. She left to greet their curious friends before they asked unnecessary questions. Sesshomaru stroked Kagome's raven hair softly.

"So beautiful… I find myself keeping you here at my side for different reasons. Reasons I have yet to find."

He vaguely registered his family's hushed conversation.

"Do you think they'll fall in love?," Sango asked excitedly.

"No," Rin interrupted quietly, "otou-san does not believe that he could harbor such a feeling for a female, much less a human."

Sesshomaru looked at the female in his arms. Could that be remotely possible? **Him**, falling in **love**?

"Are you saying Kagome couldn't seduce him?," inquired Miroku innocently.

Sango bopped him on the head with a frown.

"Did Midoriko say it had to be mutual?," Sango asked with a scowl.

"She never said much," retorted Miroku, "however I do believe it **would** have to be mutual. It would make it harder for him to break the curse, ne?"

"That's true."

"And, if you don't mind my saying, that's a bit cruel. We want our friend to have mutual love, not one-sided. Say, Rin?"

"Yes Miroku?"

"I want you to change your mission. Make your daddy and mommy kiss at any cost."

Rin looked up at him with a frown.

"How's that gonna help me?"

"Hugging leads to kissing. Kissing leads to -."

"MIROKU!," bellowed Sesshomaru.

"Yes?," he squeaked back.

"The whole **not** talking about sex to Rin goes to **you** too!"

Miroku quickly nodded in assent.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

The swimming was cut short by Sesshomaru whom insisted that Kagome could and would get sick if she stayed in her wet clothes any longer. Everybody followed accordingly not wanting to be there without him or Kagome. In the mansion, Sango changed Kagome into dry clothes and Sesshomaru locked himself in his room. Inside he smirked smugly at his memories. He remembered clearly whose name Kagome had called out and who she had gripped onto. Him. And something told him they weren't playing in a field of dandelions with Rin in the dream either.

"Sesshomaru?"

"Yes Miroku?"

Miroku quickly opened and closed the door and made his way towards his friend.

"So what's between you and Kagome?"

"Private."

Miroku scowled as he sat on his bed.

"You have nice sheets Sess."

"Miroku," he growled in warning, it was all too familiar.

"R-Right," he stammered, "do you, by any chance, harbor **any** feelings towards Kagome?"

"Other than the friendship she seems to have somehow built with all of us?"

Miroku nodded, curiosity bright in his eyes.

"No."

Miroku sighed, his shoulders sagging with defeat.

"Whatever you say Mr. Denial."

With that he ran out of the room leaving his friend with a raised eyebrow.

"It's not like you could get her to love you anyways!," Miroku shouted from the stairs.

Sesshomaru stood at the challenge.

"And why the bloody hell could I not?," he growled.

But Miroku was gone and didn't hear his question. Sesshomaru's eyes glinted in the light that flooded the doorway.

"It would be foolish of me to pursue her and to show him I could, true, but I want to pursue her anyways. It should prove of great entertainment."

"Does that mean you and mommy are going to have sex?," Rin asked from the doorway, Kohaku and Souta right behind her.

"No Rin, it doesn't."

All three kids groaned and muttered something about 'impossible adults'. Rin added that they knew they wanted it.

"I **told** them not to say more about sex in front of Rin," he scowled.

"Oh no," commented Souta calmly, "it wasn't us."

"It was Sango last night. She said Miroku knew he wanted **it** and would have to work for **it**," Kohaku added seriously.

"Shut up," hissed Shippou behind them.

"Don't. Listen. To. Sango."

The four kids nodded and ran.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Inside Shippou's room the three kids sat in a circle pondering on Rin's problem: Wanting a sibling. Souta and Kohaku were in a heated argument about what Sango meant when Kohaku went suddenly still.

"Kohaku?," Souta asked tentatively.

"Yeah?," he answered with a far away look.

"What'd you see?"

Kohaku looked at his giddy friend, whom looked back anxiously.

"Just because I was quiet for a minute or two doesn't mean I had a vision," he snapped.

Souta raised his hands defensively with a smile.

"I'm going to talk to Kagome," he added, "alone."

Souta nodded and looked back at Rin and Shippou. Kohaku left the room and quickly padded down the hallway. Once there he knocked on Kagome's bedroom door.

"Come in."

Kohaku stepped inside and smiled. Sango smiled back.

"Is Kagome awake?," he asked softly.

"I'm alive," Kagome groaned, "just unable to move."

Sango laughed and picked up Kagome's wet clothes.

"I'm going to take these out to dry and then look for Miroku. I'll be back later to see if you're still alive," Sango said with a teasing smile.

"I'm sure I'll still be here to give you hell," Kagome responded dryly.

Sango waved at Kohaku and left the room quickly.

"Is she gone?," Kagome asked silently.

"Hai," responded Kohaku.

"Good!"

Kagome threw back the covers and lifted herself to a sitting position.

"That was painful," she complained.

Kohaku smiled and moved towards her.

"What'd you need?"

Kohaku wrung his hands nervously, avoiding Kagome's eyes.

"Go on," she encouraged.

"I had a vision-."

"My grandfather? Is he alright?"

"He misses you and he has fallen into a depression. The village he is in talks of his insanity and believes that they should place him in a hospital for help or just plain shoot him out of his misery."

Kagome's eyes widened and looked frantic. She stood up quickly, wincing all the way, and shuffled here and there.

"Kagome?"

"I've got to go to my grandfather's side before they shoot him like an animal," she explained.

Sesshomaru entered and signaled Kohaku to leave, unbeknownst to Kagome.

"You'll distract everybody and I'll," she turned, "run."

Her eyes landed on Sesshomaru, the only other in the room. All noises and life seemed to stop in that one moment. Sesshomaru's eyes said it all. She was going nowhere, no exceptions. She looked away not knowing how to face him exactly.

"I come here to check on your health and I find you up and about ready to run away."

Kagome felt goose bumps rise on her flesh and rubbed her arms stiffly.

"I'm thankful that you saved me earlier. But I absolutely refuse to cower in fright before you."

Sesshomaru raised and eyebrow at her, silent. To Kagome his silence was unnerving and equal to his laughing at her expense.

"You can drag me back but I will keep trying to leave until I succeed or die trying," she stated with a passion.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed and his earlier suspicions kicked in.

"**Why** would I let you return?"

Kagome's fists tightened and shook with anger.

"I **know** you heard my conversation with Kohaku," she growled, "so your question has already been answered."

"Is that your only reason?!," he bellowed.

Kagome jumped in surprise at his sudden volume change. His eyes were burning with accusation.

"Ye-."

"Think before you answer woman," he sneered, walking around her as if studying her.

She looked down, confused.

'What is he **talking** about?!,' she asked herself frantically.

"InuYasha, Kouga," he listed disgustedly. "Is that not your **real** reason for wanting to return? So you can go back to **them**?!"

"What in the-. They are my friends!," she screamed in outrage.

"Very close, **intimate** friends!"

"Are you saying that I'm a **whore**?!"

"You might as well-."

Kagome slapped him with her right hand across his left cheek in indignation. How dare he try and implicate that she was an all-around slut because of his damn suspicions and jealousy?!

'Jealousy? He's **jealous**? Of what?!'

"I will not tolerate you insulting me whether you keep me here as your prisoner or slave. I demand some respect and I demand that you let me go. I have done nothing for your damned suspicion!"

His golden eyes bore in to hers, not saying a word.

"You will go nowhere," he stated.

He whirled around and shut her door. She stood there shocked. Had he **not** heard what she'd said?! She heard the lock click in place and she burst with anxiety. He'd closed the door! She turned the knob fruitlessly and opted for banging on the door.

"Let. Me. Out!"

Sango looked back at the mansion as she finished hanging the wet kimono to dry. Screaming, most likely an argument, reached her ears.

"Damn," she cursed, "not one minute of peace is possible any more."

She quickly made her way into the kitchen and bumped into Miroku. That only left Kagome and Sesshomaru. Both wasted no time in charging up the stairs where they met an angry Sesshomaru.

"Sess-."

"No," he growled, not sparing them a glance.

The door to his room slammed closed after him. Sango looked at Kagome's obviously abused door.

"No what?" questioned Miroku.

Sango pushed past him and tried to open the door.

"I thought he said we had no keys!"

Miroku shrugged.

"I guess **we** don't and **he** does."

Sango glared at him before kicking the door in anger.

"You go deal with Sesshomaru and I'll deal with Kagome."

Miroku nodded and turned on his heels towards his male friend's room. As he got closer he could hear a soft conversation in his room.

"I'm sorry," Kohaku wailed, "it's all my fault."

Miroku raised an eyebrow, curious, and turned to question Sango. Alas, Sango was gone already. She'd gone through the door to soothe Kagome as girls seemed to do. All of them flocked to each other in times of pain and joy.

'Actually,' he rationalized, 'they always flock together.'

"Stop crying," Sesshomaru growled.

Miroku snapped from his musings and returned to his spying.

"If I hadn't told her what I saw in my vision then she wouldn't have tried to get away!"

"It's your duty to tell us what you see so that we may help."

"If she hadn't tried to get away then you wouldn't have locked her up in her room like an animal!," Kohaku yelled back, ignoring his earlier statement.

'So **that's** why she's locked in her room… But what reason is there for locking her in her room if we trust her?'

"We **trust** her Sesshomaru," Kohaku stated, as if reading Miroku's mind.

Sesshomaru stood pensive before the young boy. He had run in minutes before wailing that it was his fault that Kagome was stuck in her room. After the argument they'd come to the one statement that he couldn't face. Everybody trusted Kagome. She wasn't there to kill them or to hand them over to a group of killer humans. She had been rather calm about the whole situation, even if he **was** keeping her there against her will. But he didn't want her to go. Something in him didn't want her to go because, dare he say, he was **fond** of Kagome. Who, what, when, where, and why he did not know. The truth was that he **was** fond of her and he didn't want her to leave and never return.

"I am not in the mood to discuss this," he stated, "and **you** trust her. I do not."

Kohaku bent his head in silent defeat. He got up, shoulders sagging, and left the room quietly.

"Hey Miroku," he greeted softly.

"Hi," he responded in an equal tone.

'Now,' he thought, 'to face the man in denial and interrogate him.'

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"He called me a **whore** Sango!," Kagome cried.

Sango looked at her friend in concern and tried to soothe her. Kagome, however, was off on a rampage of hurt feelings and anger. She paced back and forth in front of her, waving her hands in gestures.

"I mean, I know he dragged me down the stairs because he thought I was planning to attack him but to call me a **whore**!"

"Kagome-."

"I understand the stairs. I understand that he was suspicious and I shouldn't have gone off to explore after you told me **not** to, but I thought he knew me and trusted me by now!"

"He's just-."

"It was like he was jealous! Like the jealous fiancé that can't stand for you to have male friends because he thinks they're interested in you romantically!"

"**Kagome!**," Sango screamed.

Kagome looked at her with wide eyes and silent.

"Did you ever think that Sesshomaru **does** trust you **not** to go and set the other humans on us?"

"I-."

"He **does** Kagome, I know that. It's the fact that he is interested in you that makes him act the way he does."

"Interested? **Interested**?!"

"Yes, interested. He doesn't think you'll come back after you leave. I mean, you would be going back to your family and the men that obviously dote on you. Would you come back to the people that kept you from going back for weeks?"

Kagome looked down, examining her finger nails. Would she? She would go back to her normal life and maybe settle down with one of the two men that so obviously loved her. Would she forget about the small amount of time she had spent with them?

'No,' she argued, 'because they are part of my life and memory. But would I come **back**?'

"I don't know," she responded honestly.

"You would leave Rin and Shippou here. They would miss you terribly and Sesshomaru would be heart broken whether he realizes it or not."

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"You would be heartbroken whether you realize it or not."

Sesshomaru glared at Miroku. How dare he implicate that his feelings for Kagome were deeper than he thought? He knew very damn well what he was feeling!

"I know very damn well what I'm feeling!"

"Really? Then why don't you tell me? We are almost brothers and have confided in one another for years."

Sesshomaru was surprised at Miroku. His words were heart-felt and full of emotion. He wanted Sesshomaru's confidence and to help him with his problems.

"I don't have any problems," he insisted, "but I do appreciate the offer."

"Sesshomaru, we need to talk about this right now before she leaves!"

"She's not leaving!"

"Yes, she is. We trust her enough that we know that she won't tell anybody of us."

"She won't return!," he yelled back.

Sesshomaru tensed at the 'I told you so' look on Miroku's face. He turned and started to pace, something he didn't do often.

"She'll leave and won't come back Miroku. She won't come back."

"What makes you say that?," questioned Miroku while looking for a chair to sit in.

"She's going back to her grandfather and to the men that-."

"Ah, you heard that conversation."

"Yes I did."

"Should have known. If you had listened instead of throwing tantrums-."

"I don't throw tantrums!," he growled.

"Then you would've known that she isn't interested in them, but that again doesn't mean she won't be."

"Exactly," he sneered.

"Then you **must** do something about it."

"Kill them?"

"Can't go through the barrier crazy killer."

"Damn."

"I know. Why don't you try to, oh I don't know, win her over?"

Sesshomaru's mind reeled. Him, a romancer? Was that remotely possible? He stood for everything serious and calm in life.

"How do you suppose **I** go about that?"

"Well," sputtered Miroku, "I-I guess we could just-. Oh, I don't know!"

Sesshomaru glared at him and turned away.

"If you've got nothing else to say, I request you leave my room. I've got to think."

Miroku nodded, stood up, and left the room quietly. Sesshomaru sat on his chair, his chin on the palm of his left hand, and his right hand over his left arm. His hair cascaded onto the floor, where it usually lay when he was sitting down. This problem was getting to be a nuisance.

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This is un beta-ed. Hahaha! Like they always are… I know somebody's going to shoot me for this… I do not own Inu & Co. nor do I own Disney's Beauty and The Beast. -


	11. Chapter 11

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 11 -

"So you **think** you got through to him?," Sango asked again to make sure.

Miroku nodded and averted his gaze to Kagome's figure in the bed. He felt pity for her.

"I wish we'd met in different circumstances," he admitted.

"I agree."

"She would have lived with her grandfather and **we** would have lived together in the market somewhere," he said dreamily.

Sango look at him, her lover, with something akin to awe. She felt like she was bursting with love as her eyes filled with tears.

"We'd sell meat or maybe run a small restaurant!," he went on excitedly.

"Oh Miroku," she sobbed as she crawled into his arms.

Miroku, like her, was crying. Things such as these were mere dreams. It had been this way for many years and the pain didn't seem to dull.

"We'd have about five kids running around screaming out for their mama," he said in a shaky voice, "Rin would be Sesshomaru's daughter and Kagome his intended. Shippou, Souta, and Kohaku would be the town ruffians."

They laughed through their tears. Sango nudged Miroku and they rose together. They left quickly with their arms around each other, giving the other comfort. Sesshomaru watched them with knowing eyes, envious eyes. At least **they** had each other. Sure, he had Rin to be his little ray of light in his dark, lonesome life, but it wasn't the same. They had the type of love he craved. Not the love you have for your grandmother, but the love you have for your wife or husband. **That** love. The kind of love that nags at you because you want to touch, feel, **know**.

'I'm turning into a bloody poet,' he muttered to himself.

He looked up and found himself in front of Kagome's door, his hand on the door knob, and the door opened slightly.

'Why?,' he demanded from himself with frustration.

He stepped in without a noise, half-heartedly willing himself away from her. He laid his intensely golden eyes on her disheveled figure. HE clawed and tried to grip onto the last threads of his calm sanity. He felt his stomach sink and knew he'd lost any power of reasoning.

'I've lost any and all of my sanity over a young and naïve girl. An **innocent** girl.'

He closed the odor quietly while fighting the urgency to go closer, to watch her, to **memorize** her.

'Crazy,' he berated, 'absolutely reckless!'

He sat down on her bed and studied her face. Her cheeks were marred with tear stains. He idly wondered if he was the cause of them.

'It is a possibility…'

"Am I to blame?"

"No," she whispered heavily, startling Sesshomaru.

'She was awake the entire time?!'

"Then what is?," he asked calmly, as if he'd known all along.

She sniffed and dragged the back of her hand across her eyes.

"You'll think I'm stupid…"

'Not that you don't already,' she added in thought.

She lifted her legs over the edge and sat next to her captivator. She felt uneasy and had no real wish to answer his question. However, she had the feeling that he wanted an answer.

"You guys have had it hard," she finally said, "and it registered a few minutes ago."

His golden eyes watched her, keeping his senses on her, confused.

"Sango and everybody else but you told me their stories. Sango's unknown background and Miroku's thieveries before finding something akin to a family. I knew this and pitied them, but it did not **register**."

"We do not need your pity ningen," he sneered angrily.

**__**

I don't want you to give it all up

"All they want is a simple life, similar to the one I have," she continued through tears, as if she hadn't heard him.

**__**

And leave your own life collecting dust

Sesshomaru looked away from her saddened features, his hands anxious to wipe her tears away. She understood, like before. His pulse raced of its own accord. He had no control whatsoever. He surprised both as he enveloped her in his embrace.

"I'm sorry… I didn't understand until now," she whispered.

He growled, his eyes flashing with anger. He didn't want or need her **pity**!

**__**

And I don't want you to feel sorry for me

She stood up and away from him.

'How dare she,' he sneered mentally, 'even when I offered comfort!'

"You don't have to comfort me to keep me quiet and obedient."

"Good," he growled, his pride wounded.

"Because I'm neither quiet nor obedient and never will be. Learn this and everything will be just fine," she added icily.

**__**

You never gave us a chance to be

And I don't need you to be by my side

To tell me that everything's alright

"You have been **honest**," he said carefully, "since Rin brought you here. So now I ask you and await an honest response: Why are you so eager to leave?"

"I've told you already! My grandfather needs me."

"Is that **all**?"

**__**

I just wanted you to tell me the truth

Their eyes locked for a moment and he saw her sincerity in them.

**__**

You know I'd do that for you

"Do you feel **alone**?," she asked suddenly.

She watched him curiously. At her question he tensed and awareness flickered over his eyes.

"No."

**__**

So why are you running away?

She nodded, accepting his lie.

'I can see you're lying this time…'

He glared at her sheets, paying close attention to her aura. Anxiety, sadness, and a tinge of hope. He allowed himself to break his promise and floated among her thoughts.

__

"I spy," started Sango boredly, "something-."

"The green scarf hanging off the chair," interrupted Sesshomaru.

Sango glared at him from her place across from him in the kitchen.

"Alright. I spy something-."

"The fire logs next to the stove," he interrupted again.

Sango's hands twisted her obi viciously. Miroku chuckled at her antics.

"How'd you do that?," asked Kohaku in awe.

"Can you read minds?," Souta asked behind him.

"When's dinner?," whined Shippou.

Sesshomaru looked at them and then the adults in his family.

"I can read thoughts, yes," he explained. "I'm still working on blocking the thoughts out."

"Thanks," Sango said with a smile. "I'm sure you don't want to hear or see our thoughts when-."

"I don't want to know Sango."

Miroku and Sango laughed and the kids plagued him with multiple questions of 'do you know what I'm thinking **now**?'.

She wanted to comfort him and he desired to scream at her to do so. He wanted to collapse in her arms and show her his weakness. He wanted the comfort she wanted to offer. He needed it.

"I'm going to help Sango clean," she said quickly.

She straightened and left hurriedly. Leaning against the wall she thought over her feelings.

'I wanted to comfort him because I understand him, but I don't think he'll break open for me just because…"

He stared at the door feeling helpless, and still craving the soft touch of her arms.

**__**

Why are you running away?

She slowly walked down the stairs, fully submersed in her thoughts. She needed a higher level of trust from Sesshomaru or a really good plan to leave.

'Haven't I done **enough**?," she demanded feeling used. 'I let him get away with hurting me and mistreating me! I've given him my trust and understanding…'

She crossed the long hallway towards the kitchen. A smile crept onto her face as she heard the children's giggles outside. The smile, however, quickly gave way to her angry expression from seconds before.

"I understood you when they didn't," she growled, remembering the incident with the stairs. "I embraced you when they cowered in fear. I tried to be your friend and got one sharp kick in the ass!"

She stopped abruptly, closing her eyes and taking in a deep breath.

"All of this pent up anger is doing me no good. I've got to let it go and forget about it. The incident with the stairs will **not** be used in any train of thought anymore. If anybody brings it up it will be ignored."

She sighed and quickly made her way into the kitchen, still slightly ticked about what Sesshomaru was doing. Comforting her so that she would stay with him without a fight. Now **there** was a laugh!

****

Cuz I did enough to show you that I

Was willing to give and sacrifice

And I was the one that was lifting you up

When you thought you life had had enough

And when I get close you turn away

She ignored Sango's questioning look and Miroku shuffled past quickly, taking the behavior as his cue to talk to Sesshomaru. His friend was in his room pacing , stopping here and there to destroy something in frustration. He was getting **nowhere** and he had **feelings** for a female! His heart raced everytime he heard footsteps near his room, when he caught her faint auroma, especially when he heard her voice so near that he could've been standing next to her. He tensed when the door opened and light flooded his room. He growled, knowing it wasn't who he wanted it to be. It was Miroku.

'This is **nonsense**,' he thought angrily, 'I am **not** a love sick fool!'

He growled when Miroku looked at him boredly. He knew the speech and didn't want to hear it again. Growling, he picked up the chair and threw it across the room. They were **his** feelings damnit! He wanted control! He **needed** control!

**__**

There's nothing I can do or say

"Alright Sess. What'd you do?"

Sesshomaru glared at the almost bored expression on Miroku's face.

"Hey now," Miroku started nervously, "we're immortal, but it still hurts!"

"I did nothing," he complied.

**__**

So now I need you tell me the truth

You know I'd do that for you

"Right. How are you progressing?"

"It's been a few **hours** imbecile!"

Miroku nodded and leaned against the wall casually.

"I expected you to be quick. You haven't got much time."

"I wouldn't be so sure if I were you," he growled.

Miroku chuckled at Sesshomaru's defiant expression.

"She won't be patient and so open to you for much longer. Especially if you go about things the wrong way."

Sesshomaru stopped his pacing and gave Miroku a heated glare.

"I'm not some babbling idiot waiting to profess undying loyalty to some female just to be **rejected**!"

"For once," Miroku growled, "I wish I could punch some sense into you!"

"**Excuse** me?"

"Yes, Sesshomaru! Come **on** now!"

Sesshomaru resumed his pacing. He was getting **nowhere**. He told himself to let her leave, the radical feelings would follow. Another part, however, held onto her tightly, agressively, selfishly.

"Explain yourself," he demanded.

"We've been with you for **years**. You've always been the strongest and the leader, our eyes. But," he added seriously, "as soon as you hurt Kagome our trust wavered."

Sesshomaru froze in place, the memory striking a nerve.

"We were afraid. So fucking afraid that all we could do was stare. You'd think that she'd be in shock, broken, deathly frightened, **something** other than calm and forgiving!"

Miroku anxiously watched Sesshomaru soak in all the information. He himself was bringing all the details into the light for the first time to himself.

"She **has** been most generous in her forgiveness," he muttered slowly.

"That is true. From the moment you said you were sorry and even **before** she forgave you."

He shook his head, his long tresses sweeping the back of his knees with the gentle movement. He was too used to being a cold, unfeeling shadow of what he'd been once. He'd never been in love and he didn't think he had the capability of doing so.

"Tell me when you stop being **afraid**," Miroku said, now at Sesshomaru's side.

He turned and felt something shove him to the floor. He groaned.

"I was wondering when that tail of yours would strike again," Miroku sneered. "Where's it been hiding?"

"Hair."

"Should've known," he growled while lifting himself up, "should've known."

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

…::Dream Sequence Start::…

Sesshomaru glanced around and only saw Kagome. They were nowhere in particular, there were no distinguishable figures or colors.

'Stupid dreams,' he cursed.

He walked up to the dream's recreation of Kagome. He had to hand it to his subconcious; the image was perfect. She silently fidgeted with her hands, her eyes downcast.

"Let me go home," she pleaded.

He tensed, his mind already screaming its denial to her request. She turned around and his breath caught in his throat, something he didn't think possible until then. She was badly bruised and whatever she'd been wearing was nothing but shreds.

"Kagome, what-."

"Please," she sobbed.

She fell to her knees before him and sobbed. She was beaten and bloody, begging him to be set free.

"Kagome," he whispered, bending down to lift her up, "are you-? What-?"

"Please?," she whispered against his neck dejectedly.

"No. No, I can't."

He buried his face in her neck and inhaled. Her heavenly scent assaulted his nose and he readily welcomed it, easily forgetting that this was merely a dream. She weakly pushed against his chest.

"My grandfather…"

"No," he protested, holding her close.

A hand grasped his shoulder firmly. He let go of Kagome and looked into Miroku's wise eyes.

"It's only a matter of time before she leaves you."

****

…::Dream Sequence Ends::…

Sesshomaru opened his eyes and scanned the dark room. The candle had gone out minutes before and the smoke was spreading slowly. Soon it would blend in and become faint. In the meantime he'd ignore it. He looked down at his hands clenched in the damp, black sheets. The unusual scent of his blood tickled his nose. The golden light of the sun creeped in under the door.

'Sunset.'

He slid from the bed to his desk, searching for a light and candle. Light flooded his room, his hands fully healed and the scratches mere memories. His head abruptly snapped to the right, anticipating. The soft knock came a few seconds later as he had known it would.

"Sesshomaru?"

Sango opened the door, peeking in when he didn't answer. His golden eyes glittered with irritation, glinting in the darkness.

"We were wondering if you could help us."

"What is it?"

"Kohaku's had a vision and won't calm down."

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

Seconds later Sesshomaru strode into the living room with Sango at his side. Miroku sat on a chair with a frantic expression on his face and his shoulders tense. Souta, Shippou, and Rin circled Kagome with tears in their young eyes.

'They have all grown attached to her as Miroku sais.'

Kohaku was firmly attached to Kagome whom in return was rocking back him back and forth in a soothing motion. Sobs racked the young boy's body as he repeated muffled words against her bossom.

"It's okay. I'm not going anywhere," she assured him.

"What's going on?," Sesshomaru demanded calmly.

Miroku's head whipped abruptly to face him and stood up.

"Kohaku had a vision in which Kagome was hurt during a large storm."

"She wasn't hurt!," screamed the young boy, still not letting go of Kagome. "She was **dead**!"

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

A/N: I thought it would be nice and evil to leave it at that. Mwahahaha. I do not own Inu & Co. and definitely not Beauty and the Beast. I think my beta is a bit ticked at me…


	12. Chapter 12

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 12-

Sesshomaru's eyes widened and his stance became tense, rigid. Kagome? Dead? The thought of her lifeless eyes and

limp body in his arms didn't bode well. His stomach sank to the bottom of his very being, his throat tightened nearly suffocating him. His eyes followed her small form. She was frightened, this he knew, looking to him for the answers to her problems.

"Are you **sure** she was dead? Maybe she was unconscious, asleep, resting, something other than **dead**!"

"Why?" Sango sobbed into Miroku's chest.

Panic, a feeling he had long ago forgotten, filled him to the tips of his fingers.

"You act as if she was already dead!" he bellowed, frustrated.

How could they give up? She had befriended them all and withstood his insults, yet at the first sign of her needing help they ran?

"Sesshomaru," Sango said softly, "every single one of Kohaku's visions have come true! What makes you think this one will not?"

Sesshomaru growled, fully aware that Kagome's desperate eyes still lay on him. Lightning flashed through a window. Funny how one minute he saw sunlight and the next he saw black clouds with eminent danger.

"We've never tried to stop them," Sesshomaru finally answered. "I will do anything to have her survive this night."

He quickly stalked out the living room with Miroku at his heels.

"Sesshomaru?" Kagome questioned softly.

Something inside her stirred. Could he care? If she died he wouldn't have to worry about her departure, of the danger she presented to him or his family. A mouth less to hunt for would be less of a burden, wouldn't it? She had thought him cold due to his past, to his attitude, his stance.

"You've misjudged him," Sango said softly at her side, "he's not what he seems. He's just very... He's a bit more conservative because of what happened."

Kagome nodded in agreement. Kohaku yawned in her arms. A smile crept onto her face as the troubled boy snuggled into her. Sango picked up an exhausted Rin and set her on the sofa, following up with Shippou. Kagome stood up slowly and left Kohaku to his boyish dreams, or nightmares as they stood to be.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Sesshomaru, please calm yourself. Being angry and nervous isn't going to aid you in your quest for an idea on saving Kagome."

Sesshomaru stopped his now regular habit of pacing. He gripped Miroku's shoulders tightly.

"Are you not aware of the **danger**?" he pressed.

Miroku was taken aback by the fire blazing in his close friend's eyes. The man was shaking with fear and just about throwing caution to the wind.

"I am perfectly are." Miroku responded easily.

"If she leaves this place, you, the others, me, we'll be alright..."

His eyes widened.

"But to have her **die** while under my care!"

Miroku rolled his eyes with a snort.

"Care? More like captivity Sesshomaru."

She smiled and tip-toed back to the children's sides. Kagome was nodding off in a chair and Rin was using her imagination with Kilala, whom had suddenly appeared out of nowhere. She grinned and refrained from jumping up and down. She flopped onto one of the seats with a sloppy grin and quickly became consumed by sleep.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"Kagome? Kagome!"

Sango lifted her heavy eyelids to a panicked voice. She yawned and stretched her limbs. Who was screaming what?

"Kagome!"

Sango snapped to attention as everything clicked and fell into place. The vision!

"Sango, where the hell is Kagome!"

She peered at her crazed husband. Sesshomaru stood calmly behind him. She scanned the rest of the room and noted Shippou, Souta, and Kohaku silently sleeping. Everything **seemed **alright.

"Why is she not here with you?" Sesshomaru questioned heatedly.

She didn't know how to respond to the fire in his eyes. She really **didn't** know where she currently was or why she wasn't there.

"It's not raining yet," she noted by the silence, "we have time."

Sesshomaru's hands fisted tightly in aggravation. Why were women so optimistic and stubborn?

"Where's Rin?" a sleepy Shippou asked as he tried to rub the sleep out of his young eyes.

"Kilala?" Kohaku called out as he bent to look beneath tables.

"Kagome, Rin, and Kilala are missing," Sesshomaru growled.

"Who left the door open!" Souta asked slightly ticked. "Haven't they the consideration? It's about to rain!"

Sango ran to him, the door still open. Had they, perhaps, gone out for a stroll?

'Of course not,' she chided, 'how stupid would that be?'

Sesshomaru walked out past her. The night sky was darker than usual and occasionally lit up with lightening.

"The sky is beautiful in it's fits of rage, don't you think?" MIroku asked as he adjusted a bag on his back.

"Where are you going?" she asked with panic in her voice.

"Out to help, naturally," he answered.

He smiled at her, desperately trying to loosen her grip on his arm.

"Let go dear," he spoke through gritted teeth.

"But if you get hurt-."

"If I get hurt then it was mean to be," he said softly, taking her pale hand into his own.

He smiled brightly and readjusted the bag on his shoulder once more. The sky lit up with the bright, eminent thunder. She took a shaky breath as she looked down at her hand. The warmth was gone. He was gone.

"Miroku," she whispered.

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Kagome grumbled as she paced in front of a scared Rin. They were out in the middle of nowhere in some dingy cave.

"Meow?"

Kagome stopped and looked to a ferocious looking cat with fire consuming its tail and paws.

"What in all of heaven-."

"Kilala!"

She turned to the young girls bright face. Was she out of her mind?

"Kilala?" she repeated stupidly.

She turned to the, now somehow small, cat which swished its tail to and fro in irritation.

'Of course! The cat turned demon!'

She picked up the beautiful creature.

"Go get Sesshomaru will you?"

"Meow."

She set the cat down and laughed.

"Oh Kilala," she said joyfully as the neko youkai neared the entrance of the dark cave.

Without warning rain was unleashed upon them and Kilala recoiled.

"You're still a cat," Kagome affirmed dryly.

The cat sent her a regretful glance and returned to her side.

"Well," she said slowly, "we're screwed."


	13. Chapter 13

Tainted Silver

- Chapter 13-

"Well," she said slowly, "we're screwed."

Rin grimaced and pet the young cat.

"Well, at least we can have Kilala build a fire with the logs we found in the back of this cave before it began pouring!"

Rin nodded silently.

"Will you do the honors Kilala?"

The demon looked up before continuing with its new task. Her tail swayed as she got a fire going.

"Aren't you supposed to die tonight?" Rin asked quietly, seriously.

Kagome almost fell over and into the fire from the surprise. She turned to meet the girl passive, and quizzical eyes.

'How the hell do you answer **that**?' she questioned herself.

"I- No?"

Rin shook her young head silently and sifted her hands through Kilala's soft fur.

"Rin is not stupid you know."

Kagome was instantly reminded of the greedy bankers in the town. Always petting their spoiled, fat cats while cornering old peasants into giving them their land as payment for past loans. Her eyes sharpened as she realized that she was being cornered by a _child_.

"I never said you were stupid," she responded coldly.

"Rin knows you're supposed to die. We'd be defying fate if you didn't."

"The Gods' minds are ever changing," she affirmed, more to herself than the child.

"Rin is _sure_," Rin responded dryly.

Kagome bristled, but kept her anger in check. Rin was, after all, a child.

"Are you afraid?"

The question was sincere with an edge of concern. Was she afraid? She'd die a virgin with no children, but she wasn't afraid. Right?

"I guess I am afraid..." she relented.

"Rin is also afraid."

Kagome met Rin's teary eyes that were so full of emotion. She would not have expected a child of her age to comprehend the concept of dying, she was much too small. Her almond eyes told a different story altogether, however.

"Rin doesn't want to lose Kagome-chan... She's the only one that can make fluffy-chan smile."

Kagome smiled at the simplicity of her thinking.

"I'm sure I'm not the only one. You make him smile."

Rin looked down, fidgeting.

"But you said you'd be Rin's okaa-san. Rin's okaa-san can't die before Rin!"

At that point the child launched herself into Kagome's welcoming embrace.

"Fate can't deal Rin so many sufferings."

Kagome rubbed the young girls back soothingly. It was true; she'd agreed to be her mother, in a way. And her grandfather was still believed to be senile.

"We'll just have to mess up Fate's plans up a bit then."

* * *

The rain had successfully covered up their footprints and scent. The water seemed to come from an endless source, not letting fire be a choice for lighting.

'Kagome...'

There was no moon overhead and the dark clouds only made the night darker. IT was as if Fate had carefully planned for the circumstances to be thus.

'Do they expect me to give up? To follow through and fall into a trap?'

He growled and looked back at his human companion.

"Could you be any slower?"

"Perhaps," he muttered breathlessly, "but I do not intend to patronize you just yet."

"Hurry," he growled through clenched teeth.

"I do the best I can my friend."

Sesshoumaru huffed and turned, anger etched into his very being.

How could he have let her slip through his fingers? She'd been so close that the familiar feeling of being solitary was a bit alien.

"You do realize this search is hopeless under such weather am I correct?"

"I refuse to give up so easily," he growled in response.

"Can't say I didn't try."

"Kilala was around here somewhere."

Miroku gripped onto one of the many damp tree trunks. Why rain today?

"She's been out for weeks, she could've been anywhere, including here."

Sesshoumaru flexed his tight fists trying to relieve some of the pressure.

"The trail is too recent Miroku," he ground out.

Miroku shrugged and signaled for him to continue.

"Come human. If we walk fast enough we'll reach them before I age."

"But it takes centuries for you to age," Miroku responded dumbly.

"Exactly."

"I'm sure we will..." Miroku said bitterly, wincing at every step he took.

'Show no weakness,' he persisted to himself, 'feel no pain.'

* * *

Kagome lay on her back next to the young girl that had first left her to the castle, whose courtyard she was in.

"Kouga was obnoxious," she stated with a smirk.

Rin giggled softly at her right, petting Kilala still.

"He constantly insisted that I was his woman and accompanied me everywhere!"

"Everywhere!"

"Everywhere. He tried to go into the bathroom and wait for me and he got kicked out for being a pervert."

Kagome laughed.

"I'll miss him."

"Next!" Rin yelled out.

"InuYasha was overprotective. He liked to insult me every change he got, but I knew it was his way of expressing his interest."

"Rin is glad that Rin's okaa-san did not return the affections. InuYasha sounds completely ignorant in the ways of women."

Kagome's eyebrows shot up. The small girl's vocabulary seemed to know no limit and her knowledge no boundaries. However, it should've come as little surprise after her small 'go have sex' episode. She'd truly been around those kids too long...

"I guess... Both were more like friends, brothers. They had mere crushes on me. They'll eventually realize that their adoration was senseless. If they haven't already..."

Suddenly Kagome seemed to notice that time was, indeed, passing. She missed her grandfather and daily routine miserably. Silent tears formed in her eyes and made their descent upon her pale cheeks.

"Why is okaa-san sad?" Rin asked curiously.

Kagome smiled and wiped away her tears.

"I still have my grandfather..."

* * *

"Human," Sesshoumaru growled, "do you sense a disturbance in the forest?"

His muscles and nerves hummed in anticipation and dread. The threat to Kagome's life was near, at hand, begging to be vanquished by him. Yes, his blood called for the adrenaline the powerful feel of battle and foreign blood.

"I sense another like you," MIroku said slowly, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree and looking down at his ankle.

"Another like me?" he repeated curiously.

Had the miko woman been incompetent enough to do the same to others? Had she done what she'd done to him? His family? Had the woman no sense to keep her senseless punishing to herself? His senses overwhelmed him. The smell, the aura, the actual feel of whatever was out there felt so much like his own. He wasn't the only one out there stuck in some foreign form so alien to the world they inhabited.

"Who's there?" a voice piped from the woods, over the rain.

"The question is useless, come out and face me," Sesshoumaru growled.

A creature looking more human than anything else stumbled out of the trees. It was male and clumsy. It nearly fell but gripped a tree which started to fall towards Miroku.

"MIROKU!"

Sesshomaru leapt towards whom he felt was his brother and covered him with his body. HE felt the large tree trunk hit his back and he relented slowly under the weight. He felt splinters piercing his skin and drawing blood. He felt pain, he smelled blood, and he heard the idiot's mumbled apologies. He neatly shook the tree off and checked over Miroku's unconscious form. He's been injured some time before and hadn't said a word. His ankle was swollen and the idiot behind him was sputtering and moving towards the trees.

"Do not _move_," Sesshomaru warned, "it would be best for all of us if we remained in one piece."

He nodded and sat down in the wet mud. Sesshomaru almost rolled his eyes in annoyance. Kagome was nearby and he felt that the only threat, as stupid as it was, had been taken care of. He let go of a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. It felt good to know he'd saved her and he still had time. Time.

"Okaa-san?"

Kagome merely 'hmm'ed and rolled over on her side wearily.

"Okaa-san you're so cold!"

Kagome nodded softly. She couldn't feel any of her bones, skin. Everything was tingling from her head to her foot. Was she frozen? Had she been bitten by something with venom that had immobilized her?

"Okaa-san, it stopped raining! Rin and her okaa-san can go back now!"

That was a nice incentive for getting up... But she felt so weak and in need of sleep that she didn't want to move. She couldn't move anyways, so what was the use in trying?

"Okaa-san somebody's coming! Rin is afraid!"

"Yes honey," Kagome mumbled through blue lips, "go hide. I'll look for you after counting to ten."

"Okaa-san!"

"I won't cheat. Promise."

A man stood in the entrance to the cave and smiled. His teeth shone, yellow.

"Yes, you should go hide. We'll count to ten."

"Who are you?" Rin demanded.

'Charming,' he thought, 'the young twit is like a young cub ready to pounce on what she thinks to be a defenseless mouse.'

"My daddy's coming and he won't be happy!" she added for good measure, finally snapping him to attention.

Such an attractive woman **must** have a husband, or at least a suitor, that he would have to deal with.

"No brainless human man could hurt me you imbecile!" he retorted, nursing his bruised ego.

"Who said her father was a brainless **human**?"

* * *

Sango occupied herself cleaning every room of the house, even the dungeon was made presentable. She  
couldn't find any other thing to do to keep herself occupied. To keep her mind off of Miroku. He was outthere somewhere, in danger. She was selfish, she knew, to think only of Miroku and not of Sesshomaru, Kagome, Rin, and Kilala. Her heart, however, said she'd be able to live through their deaths, but never Miroku's. She angered herself, detested herself, over the idea. But who's to deny the heart? Her life revolved around the perverted man that she'd been living with for all this time and not having him around would ultimately break her down to pieces... 

"Being alone in this house with kids isn't helping any..."

She sighed and threw the washcloth carelessly, not caring where it landed. Right then nobody cared if ther were washcloths on the floor. Sesshomaru and Miroku cared for Kagome's safety. Maybe, just maybe, she felt a bit jealous at the attention Kagome was receiving without much effort. Miroku's attention. Attention she wanted, coveted. 

"I'm going insane," she muttered to herself, "turning against my friend because she has _his_ attention."

She entered his room, but didn't realize it until she felt his scent touch her nose. She felt comforted surrounded by him even though his warmth would've been better. Beggars couldn't be choosers though, she thought smiling. She felt strangely insane, psychotic, when she jumped on his bed and curled around his sheets and pillows. "Insane but happy."

* * *

"I-I did!"One would think humans were a bit more witty than the guy that was outright challenging a creature that was obviously not human, but hey. Each to his own. 

"Watch your tongue, human, I might just cut that off first," the creature growled.

He could almost swear he was right next to him now. No noise had been, but his instincts we're screaming run and forget the stupid priestess. 

"You reek of aging magic, badly cast magic, but magic nevertheless."

So much for denying his relation to the priestess. Yet how could one reek of magic? Did magic have a smell? 

"You have something to do with _her_."

"H-Her? Who's her? I don't know any hers!"

Stupid answer, but then his brain wasn't functioning in this certain situation. Who's would? It was like standing with a sword being pointed to one's throat waiting for an answer. 

"Midoriko," he whispered.

That whisper cut like a knife through the air. This man said the name with hate, resentment, like a beast growls when it's ready to kill. 

"I should kill you," he stated in a rough voice, shoving him against the wall roughly.

He looked up into his killer's eyes. Those eyes so tainted with silver and his long silver hair would've passed him as a woman, but the look in his eyes was that of a male. A dominant one, nevertheless, and those of a cold-blooded killer. He could not play with his emotions and escape never to return again. This man wouldn't bargain for information, he would torture it out of him. And after having so bluntly threatened his wife and child he had no plead for mercy. 

"Humans are slow when they realize they have no hope and that they have met their end," the creature said with an obvious enjoyment, anxiety, and lust for blood.

"Sesshomaru," another man said behind the creature, "not now, Rin's here."

"You'd be wise to keep quiet Miroku," he growled, his eyes never leaving his prey, "I will exact my vengeance for mine." 

"The last think Kagome needs is the knowledge of a man's death at your hands," the man said quickly.

"I will have my vengeance!" he ground out roughly. "A human that dares to try and take what is mine, to threaten what's mine will die at my hands, and my hands only." His eyes turned an eerie shade of red, violet. The hues so violently clashed with each other, this was a dangerous creature and his end. He could only hope that it was quick. 

"My vengeance will be long and painful, teaching him all of life's lessons with each cut-."

"Sessho..."

They all turned to the muttering girl writhing on the floor. She was in obvious pain and his ticket out.

"I can-."

"Quiet yourself human," he responded aggressively.

"But she's going to die!"

He found himself against the rough cave wall, the edges digging into his back. He must've said something to set him off, obviously. Yet through Sesshomaru's clouded judgement all that could be said was 'She's going to die'. Everybody was saying that, it unnerved him. How he, so powerful and unearthly, could kill and save anybody he wished if given the chance but could not save this one girl. All his senses tuned to kill him. 

"Don't..." she whispered.

His claws were at his throat and he barely heard her whisper, her plea. He had to reign his instinct in to listen to her, to rationalize.

"I can help her," the human choked out.

"How can you help here where I cannot?" he demanded, pushing him harder against the wall.

"I know what's wrong and it's not helping that she's here. It'll get -ack- worse!"

Sesshomaru released him and the man fell mercilessly to the ground in a crumpled heap. He deserved no more. 

"Tie him up Miroku," Sesshomaru growled, "before I shred him to pieces like I'm supposed to."

Miroku quickly went towards the man and stopped.

"What am I supposed to tie him up with?" he said stupidly.

"Whatever you find," Sesshomaru growled impatiently.

Miroku shrugged and turned to find something to bind the captive with and try to calm the jittery human they'd found earlier. Meanwhile Sesshomaru and Rin fawned over Kagome's pained form. Big mistake. 

'I will not be taken so lightly! Not when the miko has given me the means by which to survive the attacks of wild beasts such as he!'

In his jumbled mine it had not registered that the miko had given him might, means by which he could defend himself and his to-be-acquired ward. But now, now he laughed. Now that he had time to think he remembered and he slowly drew up his hand. It was instinct that led him to will his 'power' to his hand. He was amazed when a beam of blue light shot out of his palm and hit the back of the creature that had so threatened him before. Sesshomaru hissed in pain as his eyes when wide. His body fell over Kagome's and she struggled against him, still unconscious. 

'_I sense another like you,' Miroku said slowly, leaning against the trunk of a nearby tree and looking down at his ankle._

'_Another like me?' he repeated curiously._

The human had been bestowed with powers by the dark miko and now the human thought to use them against him and his family. He could hear Rin crying and the man threatening Miroku.

"I'll blast ya!" he screamed. "I'll blast you and the girl both!"

Again with the threatening from the human with powers from the miko. He heard Rin screech and could see the man violently shaking her out of the corner of his eye. 

"What's your daddy gonna do to me now, brat?"

Rin cried and batted helplessly at his offending hand. How dare the human lay hands on his daughter? How** dare** he? His eyes melted into different colors, Kagome's request forgotten. Rin's innocent eyes and mind forgotten. This man would die without any mercy. 

'Wow,' he thought to himself, 'having this much power is exhilarating! I have made a man stronger than most bow before me and I hold his family's life in the palm of my hand!'

What would he do now? He'd take what he had come to look for. The woman. Perhaps he would have some pleasure with her. He'd make her scream and beg for him before he returned her. He'd simply blame the sadistic demon. When she pointed him out as being guilty he would say it was the shock and that she saw the demon instead of him. 

"I think I'll find pleasure in your wife creature. Maybe you'll be able to hear her scream-.'

He felt a sharp pain in his back, one he had never experienced before. He looked down and saw fingers with sharp nails, no, claws. They were protruding from his chest covered in his blood. Had he perhaps, just perhaps mind you, miscalculated? He didn't remember being injured when he ran away with the girl, or when he-. The man fell at Sesshomaru's feet, unconscious. The youkai, the more primal beast inside of him, wanted  
revenge, blood, and to satisfy his lust for the man's blood. But he would reign himself, he would keep himself in a state of composure. He would lock the man up and keep him alive by mere threads. He lifted his face and looked at his family. His brother was attempting to bandage his injured ankle, his pride beaming at his resilience. His daughter was scared and he opened his arms to her, which she gladly ran into and gave into her tears. Kagome however, Kagome was still writhing on the floor. The sooner they got home, the sooner they could tend to her.An hour, five bodies' weight later they were all safely inside of the aging mansion once again. The human had been locked into the dungeon, all of them still on the lookout since the man had 'powers'. Kagome was meticulously watched by the children and Sango. They passed the night dipping warm cloths in cool water to keep Kagome's fever down, had forced some medicine down her throat to calm her obvious distress. 

Miroku laid a comforting hand on Sesshomaru's sholder.

"She'll be alright," he assured, "because we brought her back in time."

"How do you know?" he asked, his voice cold but with a hint of hope.

"Kohaku says that in his vision shortly after she died the sun rose, and obviously the sun hasn't risen yet. We brought her back in time. Anyways, I'm going to go see about the paranoid 'human' that almost killed me. Feel better aniki." 

Sesshomaru sighed and Miroku left the room. Now that he felt Kagome was out of immediate danger he had to deal

with the human that had threatened and harmed his own. It was time to exact his vengeance...

* * *

Muse where are you? Well, this is what I could come up with after such a long time. I didn't know what to do with

the guy, still don't. Ideas are always appreciated, but then reading something you didn't come up with is always a bit

more fun isn't it? Yes, sadly, it is. The reviews I've received are greatly appreciated. They're all saved in my e-mail

box. Till the next chapter guys!


	14. Chapter 14

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 14-

"I'm gonna die," he chanted to himself happily. "I'm gonna die."

He was going crazy, he knew it. And he welcomed this insanity with open arms. Insane people couldn't feel pain, they couldn't reason at all. Therefore, when the man whose family he had so viciously attacked returned he would find him lost in reason, unable to exact his vengeance. That would be the ultimate blow to a sadist creature such as he was. Thinking of it, why a would a man leave his wife and daughter unattended in the middle of a dangerous forest in the first place? A man was supposed to be ever so vigilant over his family. Not that **he** would know, but such things were primal instincts.

"I'm gonna die," he repeated clearly. "I'm gonna die."

That was his mantra he decided. Even as he heard the footsteps of the creature nearing him he lost himself in the simple phrase. His blank eyes met those of the creature's through the rusting jail cell bars, full of contempt. He had a feeling, insanity still hadn't fully kicked in, that he was merely an object for him to take his rage out on. His real rage was directed at the miko.

"The miko sent you," he ground out.

He laughed, hadn't they established that already?

"Midoriko _does_ know how to piss off the best of them," he said, a tone of casual conversation in his voice.

"Human..." he growled, his temper was obviously lacking control.

"Did she do that to ya?" he asked quietly. "Yeah, she probably did. That's why you hate her so much."

Sesshomaru didn't respond to the man's baiting, but his patience was wearing thin.

"I know you came to kill me, I'm gonna die."

The human's voice had a tone of carelessness, a resignation he didn't take very joyously. Perhaps... Perhaps letting him live without food and water, lack of sanitation, and entertainment would be worse.

"You know nothing of the hell that woman put me through," Sesshomaru sneered, "but perhaps it is time that you do."

He smiled down at the human that stared back at him with blank, brown eyes.

"You are," the human finally said, "such a beautiful woman."

Sesshomaru's eyes shot open. He, a woman!

"You **ingrate**!"

"Perhaps I have not made my appreciation of your beauty in the most delicate of ways, maybe I've been too subtle milady? I merely seek to make my interest known."

He didn't know wether to kill the man or to laugh at his insanity. He was telling the truth, he honestly saw him as a woman. As humorous as the scene was, the ludicrous idea was completely **disgusting**. The man lusted after one of the same sex. Perhaps no longer the same species, but the same sex nevertheless. That marked him as lost, completely insane. He prepared himself quickly to end this lustful man's life, but a familiar scent reached him and had a profounding effect on his actions. He refused to kill in front of an innocent.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Rin wishes to speak to the evil man."

"That is unreasonable Rin, return to your quarters at once."

"Rin will speak to the evil man," she responded stubbornly.

Sesshomaru growled softly, he turned to Sango and nodded.

"You will stay here and monitor Rin. I will go to see how Miroku and Kagome are."

Sango nodded and he left. Rin nodded in approval and approached the cell delicately.

"Evil man," she said in a strong, well as strong as a child's voice can get, voice, "you will tell me what sex is now."

Sango promptly fell back in a dead faint, hitting her head against the pavement.

"Rin thinks that Sango is asleep... Our conversation bores her."

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Miroku patiently pulled himself up and set to tending his strained ankle. He shouldn't have pushed himself so harshly, even for his brother. What use would he have been injured in a fight against bandits? No use at all, of course. He could only thank the Gods that they were alright and that Kagome was on her way to recovery... However something told him that the vision Kohaku had was merely symbolic and was not a premonition.

"Kagome had gone out after Rin and was caught in a storm and died..."

"At least so Kohaku's vision says," Sesshomaru replied swiftly.

"The storm could be conflicting emotions, something of the sort. Perhaps an inner battle."

"Or perhaps Midoriko is affecting Kohaku."

"I'm afraid I don't understand."

"I felt weaker, slightly so, when that man was before me. He has some of Midoriko's power in him and it absorbed my own. Perhaps she was near that day and distorted Kohaku's vision?"

"That makes sense... But then that would mean that she has been watching us. Therefore..."

"She's going to the villagers and trying to get us killed."

"Why would she?" Miroku questioned wildly. "Did she not promise to leave us alone with a curse!"

"She sees Kagome as a possible interest to me, and an end to her curse. Ending her curse would free us to go after her and end her pathetic life as we pleased."

"A coward," Miroku hissed.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

"And so villagers, Kagome ran into the woods blindly and has ended up in a vicious creature's hands! She lays sick as we speak and he will no doubt kill her soon!"

"Why hasn't he killed her yet?" a voice questioned.

Her face took on an insulted expression.

"Because she has been of... _use_ to him."

The crowd gasped and she barely hid a contented smirk. She was pure **genius**! She had never thought the abomination would get somebody to love him, or like him. The girl was a threat and by getting the villagers to go in and try to kill him she was sure he would kill them all. Then the twit would see the massacre, family among them, and leave him.

"Prepare yourselves men! You are going to **war**!"

"How do you know of all this woman?" an elderly voice asked.

She didn't recognize the man, but everybody else did. Kagome's senile grandfather was questioning a priestess' word! The **nerve** of the man! All turned to her to listen to her rightful answer, to hear her set him in his place.

"I had a man step out of that forest and tell me of this."

The old man looked at her questioningly, not satisfied. She saw the villagers begin to shuffle, doubting her themselves.

"He told me of a creature so much like a man, but so different. White hair down to his ankles, golden eyes with an icy stare, claws instead of nails, and the speed greater than that of an arrow! He hunts without weapons and can hear farther than the human eye can see. The man informed me that he saw a young girl with long, black girl with features similar to her," she paused to point at Kikyou, "being dragged away by him."

Once again she had the villagers' trust. Everybody knew that Kagome and Kikyou had an uncanny similarity to each other, so InuYasha and Kouga stepped up. They faced their village and cheered them on.

"We must go and save Kagome! If it was any of us in her place we'd want to be saved also! Let us go and fight bravely men, for we don't know when this monstrosity will strive to kill our families and homes!" 

"Let us waste no time!" Kouga shouted over the murmurs of his comrades. "Pick up your weapons, friends! We'll go in three nights!"

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"So sex is when bees stick their things inside a young flower and suck honey out of it?" Rin questioned incredulously.

"That it is little boy," the man answered seriously.

Rin glared, "I'm a girl."

"Of course you are, son."

Rin's eyes narrowed, but she ignored him.

"Then how can Daddy have sex with Mommy? Daddy's not a bee, and Mommy's not a flower," Rin reasoned.

"Well lad," he said, looking up at the murky ceiling, "your daddy has this-."

"Rin," Sango said quickly, "Sesshomaru didn't want you here for too long. Let's go."

Rin frowned but got up nevertheless.

"Rin will be back and Rin **will** find out what sex is!" she said infuriatingly.

She stomped out with an unbelieving Sango behind her. Rin ran and joined the curious boys to tell of her findings and Sango left up the stairs to find Kagome. She knocked on her door and received no response. She entered and found Kagome facing the other way.

"Are you okay Kagome?"

Kagome turned to face her slightly, "I'm fine."

"Something's troubling you, I can tell."

"I'm just confused Sango. Why does Sesshomaru not want me to leave? I've proven I'm trustworthy!"

"He's holding you here for selfish reasons-."

"He wants me to warm his bed!"

"Kagome!" Sango reprimanded aghast. "Don't say such things!"

Kagome hung her head in silent defeat, obviously out of ridiculous ideas.

"He feels something for you Kagome, don't you for him?"

Kagome looked up with tears.

"I can't think of myself right now Sango. My grandfather is in **danger** and I can't go back and help him. Naraku is probably there waiting for me too."

Sango reached over and wiped away her tears.

"Ask him again," she said softly and left.

Kagome stared at the closed door and her eyes hardened. She was going to leave whether Sesshomaru wanted her to or not. She would run, sneak out, pretend to go on walks. As soon as she was out of the boundary he would not be able to take her back. If she was lucky and Kami-sama decided to grace her, she would even have the children become her allies.

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Ah, jeez. This _will_ start to look more like Beauty in the Beast. **However**, I _did_ say this was with my twist which means I'm not using the exact Disney idea, just the vague one. You're reviews bring tears of appreciation to my eyes, keep doing it.


	15. Chapter 15

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 15-

"If I've told you once, I've told you **twice**, you insufferable woman! You are **not** to leave this place!"

Kagome helplessly pounded her fists against his back knowing it was all in vain. The man was no longer

human and her hits were like mosquito bites, harmless but annoying.

"**I've** told you **countless** times that I must return to aid my aging grandfather!"

He quieted, refusing to speak with her anymore. He walked with her, slung over his shoulder, as he'd

caught her for the fifth time that **day** running fervently towards the gates of the premises.

"Sango!" she screeched, hoping against all hope that her friend would help her.

Her friend's head appeared in the wall separating the living room from the kitchen. Kagome frowned at the

strange picture it made and wasted valuable time. Sesshomaru shoved her into the basement.

"You aren't going to lock me up **again**, are you?" she questioned outraged.

"Do not be insane wench," he muttered before dragging her down the stairs.

He shoved her, none too gracefully, onto the floor in front of a cell. She looked up into the doe eyes of a

man she'd never seen before.

"Who's **this**?" she inquired curiously.

"Oh jolly, another lad for companionship!" he sang merrily.

"Oi, you're out of your bloody mind!" Kagome shouted. "I'm a girl!"

"Funny how all these lads come in here and claim they are of the opposite sex. Quite strange and

disturbing."

"Who **is** he?"

"Last night you ran out after Rin, did you not?"

Kagome nodded dumbly, "We ended up in a cave with Kirara who was unable to get us help because of the

rain."

"This man showed up while you lay sick and unable to defend yourself or Rin."

Kagome shuddered and looked away.

"This man was sent by Midoriko to take you back," he said, pausing at Kagome's happy smile, "but he had

plans to have his way first."

Her smile dropped and she stumbled back and away from the smiling man.

"Midoriko doesn't want you anywhere near us anymore, however, seeing as she failed..."

"Do you think she'll send somebody else?"

"Hai, you can break the spell and that-," he was interrupted by Sango's panting form at the top of the stairs.

"I remember locking the door," he growled.

"There's an old man outside, scared out of his wits. Says he's Kagome's-," she stopped as she realized

Kagome had opened the door behind her and was most probably with the old man. "Grandfather."

* * *

"What do you mean her grandfather is **gone**!" 

The whole village cringed as they heard the outraged miko's yell.

"W-We didn't think it would matter if he left," stuttered one of the village men.

"He stumbled away saying he was going to look for his granddaughter by himself," added another.

Midoriko trembled with barely suppressed rage. The incompetent **fools**, the lot of them! They let the old

man go! She looked at them all through narrowed eyes.

'As soon as they attack,' she thought angrily, 'they will turn into the abomination that they attack.'

Kohaku gasped as he was ripped away from his peaceful dreams by his vision. He remembered the woman

from somewhere, but he couldn't quite place her.

"Sango! Sango!"

Sango looked up wearily at the younger boy with a half-smile, letting herself slide down on one of the steps.

"Yeah?"

He looked at her eagerly, his eyes shifting nervously.

"They know Kagome's grandfather left and the bad lady wasn't happy," he said urgently.

Sango looked at him strangely.

"Have you had your nap yet?" she asked him, concerned.

He narrowed his eyes, "She's gonna attack us!"

"Now, Kohaku-."

"Premonition!" he screamed.

Sango sighed wearily and nodded.

"Now we get attacked by evil women," she muttered, shaking her head.

* * *

"Grandpa!"

"Oh my dear granddaughter," he wheezed through his heart wrenching sobs.

Sesshomaru's eyes narrowed. Who was this decrepit old man to come and mess up his whole romancing up? He hit his head against the window, the glass cracking under the pressure. He ducked his head back in quickly and cursed.

'I'm talking to myself, I'm jealous of old people, and Kagome has no reason to leave now.'

However something still felt off about the whole fairy tale. He wasn't the normal ningen that a girl would bring home, how would her grandfather react to the abomination that doted on his sole granddaughter?

"Sesshomaru!"

"Sango."

"Midoriko's casting a curse on the village and they're coming to attack us in two days' time."

He marched away angrily. You'd think a guy could have his love problems without having to deal with other women. His eyes flashed crimson for a fleeting second before he turned into his office.

Sango stared at his retreating back almost sadly, knowing he was carrying the burden of protecting all of them, now adding an old man. She shook her head and Kohaku stood next to her.

"He'll be fine, he's more worried about getting Kagome to stay."

Sango smiled, "She'll stay."

Miroku walked by, a quick peck to Sango's cheek, and into Sesshomaru's office.

"So, what are you planning to do? Attack back?"

"Attacking them would be futile and unwise, when one rumor is unleashed we'll have all ningen upon us."

Miroku nodded quickly, "So we close up as much as we can, women and children unattainable?"

Sesshomaru nodded once, "This fight is against me. Midoriko knows what she created those years back and it is to her knowledge that she will die by my hands."

Miroku gave him a nervous smile and shuddered slightly.

"Our lives are complicated because of women, but would we be able to live without them you think?"

Sesshomaru smiled slightly at this and responded, "Of course not, how would we create more men?"

* * *

Kagome lay on her bed, her grandfather long asleep in another room. The long trek had been harsh on his weary bones and he'd collapsed on the bed he'd been presented with. She gave a small weary smile at his weakness, but she felt content. However, now she didn't have him as an excuse to avoid confronting whatever feelings she might have for Sesshomaru. Her eyes narrowed, she didn't know whether he wanted **her** or just wanted to be able to leave the dreaded castle to go kill Midoriko. 

"Kagome-chan?"

Kagome lifted her eyes to Sango's form half in and half out of her door.

"That's still strange," she said frowning. "But, what is it?"

Sango frowned lightly, scrunching up her nose in a sign that Kagome had come to recognize symbolized nervousness. Sango stepped her body translucent until she was past the wooden door.

"I-. Uh-. We're getting attacked by Midoriko soon and we think that you should uh-. God this is so **hard**!"

"She means that they think you should leave this place at once so that you may not be harmed," Rin said from the other side of the door.

Kagome pushed herself up on her right hand and looked at Sango with a questioning expression. Sango only looked away, subconsciously rubbing her left arm.

"Hn," Kagome said angrily. "At the first sign of trouble ya send me away."

She stood up and slammed the door on her way out muttering, "Assholes."

Sango sighed and glared at Sesshomaru's still figure at the door.

"You are worse than a pregnant woman with moodswings," she glared. "First you want her to stay and now you want her to leave!"

She threw her hands up and huffed, "**Hah**!"

Miroku ran a hand across his face and sighed, "Women."

Sango glared at him, "Excuse me?"

He chuckled nervously before shuffling off for his life. Sango turned her narrowed eyes to Sesshomaru.

"Well? What's with the sudden decision?"

After a few minutes of waiting met with silence Sango stood to go.

"If it comes to the point where I have to retaliate to defend you or the others..."

Sango looked down, "You don't want to be seen as a murderer."

"I don't want her to see me and see their blood on my hands."

Sango nodded slightly, "Yeah... Idiot."

She pushed past him, "Men are idiots I tell ya. Idiots."

Sesshomaru remained impassive, 'If she stays I won't be able to kill a soul, I wouldn't be able to live with that weighing on my concious.'

* * *

The men stared at the open, vacant streets of their village. They were ready to go, their weapons at hand. 

"What the hell are we waiting for?" moaned a young man to his father, impatient to get to killing monsters and what not.

"Don't know son," the man responded sharpening his arrow tips.

"I say we go," he said with a scowl.

"Amen to that," muttered another man across the street.

"The miko said we had to wait," Kouga growled impatiently.

"You're itching to fight too ain't ya?" asked InuYasha with a smile.

Kouga glared at him momentarily, "Of course, my woman's at stake."

"My woman, dimwit."

Kouga narrowed his eyes.

"Let's go anyways," InuYasha said, already walking down the road to where Kagome had last been.

Kouga scrambled up, not willing to be bested, and ran after him.

"Oi!" he screamed.

The villagers looked after them and then at each other. They all shrugged and groaned as they lifted themselves up from their sitting positions in front of their homes.

"About time they said something," the young man from before said excitedly. "About time."

"Now son," his father reprimanded, "we're going to save a girl, not just fight."

"Whatever," he said quickly, waving him off and running ahead.

"War-happy brats," the man huffed.

* * *

-A bit uneventful, but the fight's coming up. -- 


	16. Chapter 16

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 16-

It had taken time, it had taken a great amount of courage and thought on his part, but she'd left. His hair floated savagely on the currents that flowed cynically across the wide space before him. Perhaps he was wrong for waiting for his attackers, but there was no way he would hide. His pride and heart would not let him turn and run like he'd told the others to do. No, he would stay and fight for his family.

He clenched his fists but his eyes remained fixated with the prominent horizon.

Sometimes it felt like his anger consumed him, all rational thoughts flew out the window. He didn't know how to control the energy and adrenaline that flowed through his veins, the need to protect his own. Yet, therein lay his problem. As capable as he was to kill and harm the bodies of those that were beneath him in strength, he found himself unable to. Perhaps it was the mentality he instilled in his young ward, the mentality he found in the woman that stepped into his life.

His eyes filled with desperation at finding no solution to a problem that was upon him.

Was it plausible that his hands were being forced to take lives, unwillingly creating a cold blooded murderer? Perhaps, he thought, once they were done with him they would completely forget about those he sought to keep alive.

/Kagome/

"That miko woman was a load of rubbish!" the old man exclaimed. "I heard her casting spells on the villagers, something about becoming the monster they harmed."

Kagome's wide eyes settled on him as he waved the subject away with his decrepit hand.

"Rubbish, rubbish."

/Sesshomaru/

He could feel the fertile ground trembling slightly, human feet pounding mercilessly at it from afar. To face him, one man... No, that was slightly wrong. He wasn't a man, not anymore. That miko woman had cast him from the society he'd been born into, her foolishness costing him his life. Now she led humans, such as he had been once, against him.

She just refused to die.

/Kagome/

"As soon as they-," she gasped, her mind unable to process the thought. "As soon as they-!"

She looked to the side and met Sango's sad eyes, Kohaku's teary expression, Shippou's huddled form in the corner of the old shed they'd been crammed into.

"I-I-."

"I wish I could help," Miroku said wearily, "but I don't think I could bring myself to open the air void and end human lives, no matter if one took ours."

"I can't let him die," she whispered harshly.

"What are you rambling about Kagome," her grandfather chastised, "let him give his life. He wants to."

She turned enraged eyes on her blood relative, "If you weren't my grandfather I-."

She closed her eyes, an attempt at composing herself.

"I'm going out there, I don't care if I die."

"Kagome!" he said in an incredulous tone.

"Take care of the old man, he can be a pain sometimes."

/Sesshomaru/

As he stood in his courtyard, because make no mistake it was his, he remembered how it had all started. Not how he'd gotten his curse, how they'd suffered. No, how he'd met_ her_. Rin had gone out because the boys had said something about a vision of a "pretty lady". Rin had known their tale well, she'd liked it the most out of all their tales, her favorite. The "pretty lady" was just what he needed, in her eyes, to be freed.

He'd scared Kagome, he'd rejected her humanity above all else. How ironic that he should feel this way about her now, how ironic.

He could hear the screams of war floating in the air around him, a slight breeze picking and toying with his silver tresses.

Kagome had tried to run from them so many times, each one stabbing him emotionally. Yet, her smiling face was ever present in his memories. Hai, if he was to die this day then he'd die with a melancholy expression. Never truly experiencing her love, but knowing that his humanity existed in the deep pools of her eyes.

"_Die_!"

"_Release her_!"

"_Begone, unnatural creature_!"

"_Back to the depths of hell with you_!"

"Iie, shut up!"

His eyebrows shut up, now there was an unexpected battle cry. He turned to the side, his attention riveted on a girl.

"A girl in a battle?"

No, not a girl. Kagome. _His_ Kagome.

"Bloody fool!" he screamed.

His scream was carried away by the calm wind that flowed through her midnight hair as she stepped in front of him and push him back. The slight push was unexpected and he stumbled back, arrows flying through the air. He gained footing and spun her around in time to catch her surprised glance. His eyes widened and he stopped breathing. Her shocked eyes peered up at him his arms holding her up.

"_STOP! CEASE YOUR FIRE YOU BASTARDS!"_

His knees weakened and he dropped the ground, grasping her to himself. He felt her nails dig into his arm in pain and the simple action caused him to slowly deteriorate. He shoved his face into her pale neck, he refused to remember her pale expression. Refused to lose what he was so adamant in protecting.

"Foolish, foolish girl. Why can't you stay where I tell you to stay!" he demanded.

"Gomen," she whispered slowly, speech taking a great amount of energy.

"Why didn't they stop you-."

"_Unhand her you freak of nature_."

She grew limp in his arms. Was she dead? Had she merely lost consciousness? He had lost her, hadn't he? He pulled the arrows from her back, the men having stopped when they'd struck the girl instead of the original target. He laid her down, smoothing her hair away.

"_Are you deaf animal? Get away!_"

His eyes levered up to the speaker and his eyes flashed with an ungodly fire.

"Midoriko."

The woman should've been afraid, her name upon his lips with such a deadly promise. She merely raised her chin in his presence. He was defeated, his only means of salvation lay dead.

"You bloody pathetic excuse for a human woman," he growled. "How dare you curse me and then take what is rightfully mine?"

"_She was not yours to begin with_!" a man spoke vehemently from behind.

"Silence yourself human," he said with fury. "She lived here, this was her home. I was her family where you turned against her."

"Have you nothing to say you scum?" Midoriko questioned loudly. "Something that should be taken into account before you are sentenced to death?"

"If I die Midoriko," he said with a hint of a sadistic smile, "mark my words you'll go first."

Midoriko's eyes widened. Had she truly been foolish enough to strut into his terrain, leave herself vulnerable to his attacks? Yes, she had. However, rest assured, the villagers would attack in her favor, die while she ran for her own.

"You and what army creature?" she demanded hotly, self-assured.

The villagers gasped as small children, albeit one of them had a **tail**, approached and pulled on the creature's leg.

"Sesshomaru-sama, Kagome won't wake up."

"_Insolent brats_!" she chastised them, "_have you no respect for the dead_?"

Young, innocent eyes turned to her with dawning comprehension.

"Dead?" spoke the youngest.

The villagers began to murmur at her back, she unconsciously retreated slowly. The young girl dropped to her knees.

"B-But-."

"Rin, honey," spoke a new woman, her form seemingly passing through the tendrils of grass at her feet. "Kagome's just sleeping honey."

"No she's not!" wailed the other children.

A hand roughly turned the miko woman to face her army, "You didn't say anything about children!"

"Does it matter?" she argued. "They're all creatures that seek to kill us."

"That's not true!" yipped the demon child. "We can't even leave this place because of you!"

"You lie!" she screamed.

"Children don't like miko," Kouga added, standing at InuYasha's side.

"He is a demon and he can deceive you, do not fall for his tricks!"

"But mommy didn't have sex with daddy yet!" the young girl screamed, tears falling freely from her eyes. "Mommy!"

A young man tried to distance herself from the immobile body of the woman they'd supposedly come to save.

"No!" she screamed. "No! Leave me with mommy!"

The screams of a child at loss of a mother was disheartening, but the fact that they'd known the girl that lay dead on the plain made it all the more painful. However, knowing that the arrows that had been lodged into her back moments before were theirs, **that** struck home. The knowledge that the liquid that tainted the creature's silver hair was a human's, one of their own, cut deep into them. His hair was tainted silver by their hands, will of another.

-Uh... Writer's block? School? Ehehehehe...-


	17. Chapter 17

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 17-

They were two separate sides of the deceased woman, two phases of her life. Knots were tight in all throats except for the miko woman that looked upon them with disdain. In this woman's mind they were pathetic, they had known that there would be casualties. She'd told them that she was possessed by the youkai, of course he would use her to protect himself. That, however, wouldn't go down well anymore. Now, they were more prone to believe that any words that had passed her lips were lies and would turn on her.

His golden eyes alighted upon her and felt fear for the first time. One that is so accustomed to causing fear is surprised by the feeling of helplessness and weakness caused by a greater power, strength.

"You enslave us," he began cooly, "curse us, spit upon us, and then deny us of our salvation and love?"

She cocked her head jaggedly, "You are a youkai, you cannot feel."

"Then why send an army to kill me if it will not hurt me? Why kill **her**?"

"My purpose was not on killing the woman-."

"Yes, it was," he interrupted, "because you knew very well she could love me, she could release every single one of us."

She attempted to back away but two of the village men grasped her firmly by her arms.

"You lied to us when you said we were coming to save her," one said painfully squeezing her.

The other applied pressure to the opposite side as well, "You said they were dangerous, volatile, and out to kill us."

"You knew we would kill you."

Claws stretched out, his stance was rigid. Mind clouded with confusion, his only purpose to avenge. Warm blood slowly coagulated against healing flesh, was the woman still struggling?

Pitchforks had dropped in guilt, many slapped by the reality of their actions. They'd killed a woman that day. The presence of children made their grief all the greater, they did not understand, they still begged the still body to awaken.

"She's not gonna wake up, huh?"

"Yes she will," growled the older, his hands fisted.

The boy peered up angrily, "How? Magic beans? A kiss from some stupid prince?"

Hours later, he couldn't do it. The villagers left quietly and the priestess was locked in the dungeon. Kagome's body was forced away from his arms, he was dully aware of her fading scent. The house was quiet, devoid of the usual charisma.

Should've told her.

But he hadn't. All he had were the scratches she'd left on his skin as her body slid to the ground. He wished they would never fade, forever his reminder of the girl his youngest brought home.

/Villagers/

They dragged the old man back to the village, kicking and screaming.

"Can't we just tell him?" one of the older boys asked angrily.

"And have Kagome haunt us for giving him a heart attack?" InuYasha growled. "No thank you."

"We could always explain it was for a good cause," he muttered. "Sanity."

"I'd be happy if she haunted me, " Kouga sighed, receiving a sharp slap to the head by Ayame.

"She's dead," Ayame retorted haughtily, "and therefore it's time to move on to greater things."

Kouga looked at her defeatedly, "Too bad I don't see any."

"I want my granddaughter, hooligans!"

Kikyou slapped her forehead, "Shut him up already!"

"And there goes another reason as to why I would never marry Kikyou," Inuyasha muttered under his breath.

Kouga walked up to his side and jabbed him in the ribs, "I couldn't agree more."

"Hooligans!" the old man screamed viciously. "No respect for the elderly!"

One of the men raised a thick torch over the old man's head with a desperate look.

"Takako! Put that **down**! And for Kami's sake jii-chan, shut up!"

The old man waved a fist in his direction with an angry expression.

The village was up ahead, some of the women that had stayed behind were cooking, if the smoke above the trees was any clue.

/Sesshomaru & Kagome/

Holding a loose, cold hand made his thoughts dwell on death, obviously. He watched her intently, forcing himself to believe that she would wake up and smile any second.

"Sess-."

"Shh! You'll wake her up Sango," he said hurriedly.

She looked taken aback, perhaps because he'd never cared if someone was taken from their slumber. He could hear her bawling down the hallway in her husband's arms. Tracing circles on her pale palm, he noted how long her nails were. He grimaced, for a human they were unusually long and clean. The more he stared, the more they began to look inhumane, claw-like. The exhaustion of the passing hours were distorting the beauty of the dead woman, his mental capacity. His head hit the pale sheets and sighed, drifting into restless slumber.

Wisps of hair curled longer until they brushed the floor, contrasting against the soft silver dust. Ears slightly grew cartilage became pointed upwards slightly. Bones constricted against each other, harshly shoving against each other to create a smaller figure, a thinner waist-line. Blood rushed backwards and then forcefully shoved forward, the veins becoming smaller. All in all, the face of the fluctuating creature became pale, almost dead. The roots of its hair darkened, engulfing itself in black. A gut-wrenching scream pierced the air savagely in pain and disappeared into thin air.

/Midoriko & Crazy Guy/

"Wonder what she's screaming for," contemplated the insane man across from the flustered priestess.

"I don't know, nor do I care," she snapped. "Now shut up."

"Now, now lad! No need to take such tone with the elderly, bring yourself bad Karma you know?"

"Lad!" she screamed in indignation. "I'll have you know I'm a female, a miko!"

"Of course you are boy, who isn't?"

"I employed a fool," she growled. "I should've known that man could not do something correctly."

"Now don't go around slandering your gender!"

"I am a woman!" she screamed, launching an attack against the insane man.

"Boy!" he squealed, throwing up his arms to cover his face. "Rape won't solve anything!"

"**Hey!**"

Both looked to the bars of their cell, hair askew, and limbs attached to limbs in pincer grips.

"What's rape?"

"Well, lad-."

The miko dropped her elbow into the man's nose, "Shut up, children should not know of these things!"

"Well then," Rin continued, "what's sex?"

The miko looked up appalled, "What kind of-. Is this a whore house!"

Rin looked down for a minute, her face scrunched up in thought. She looked back up with a smile.

"What's a whore house?"

/Sesshoumaru/

He stared in blind fascination the screams of a dead woman, eyes shut in pain, hands blindly groping sheets that were steadily ripping into pieces.

"Sess-."

All of their eyes fell on the chaos that was Higurashi Kagome, the screaming dead.

-Uhh... Slowly coming to an end, right?-


	18. Chapter 18

Tainted Silver

-Chapter 18-

Her gasps for air were ridiculous, her wide eyes were incredible, the hands that firmly grabbed at the white sheets were miraculous. Sango collapsed onto her husband with wide eyes. Souta bust into the room with Kohaku by his side, Rin and Shippou not far behind.

"Kohaku said he had a vision of Kagome-!"

They turned to see Kagome's chest struggling with ragged breathing.

"Her aura is so alive," Souta quipped in awe.

Sesshomaru tore the white sheets off her body and gripped her to himself, her head snugly fitting into the crook of his neck. He couldn't get enough of her heartbeat pounding against his ears, the warmth she was starting to radiate against his skin.

"Is this a whore house?"

Kagome giggled tiredly.

/Livingroom/

Sesshomaru sat pensive in his chair, questioning Kagome's revival. Miroku held his wife in his arms, all the adults immersed in their thoughts.

"I think-."

Kohaku bust into the room with the rest of the younger generation in the house.

"Alright," he began, "it's like this yall."

The adults looked to him expectantly.

"The sorceress, miko, whatever, she cast another spell. It was meant to turn all the villagers into demons once they struck Sesshomaru. Then they would turn on each other blah, blah, blah.

"But it backfired on her when you guys showed up."

"Yes," Souta agreed. "She had not expected for the villagers' minds to change once they saw children."

"Therefore, the only one that got even close to striking Sesshomaru-."

"Kagome, when she took the blow for me."

"Ano-."

"Her nails dug into my back as she slid to the floor..."

"So I'm not human anymore?"

All of their eyes turned to Kagome's figure in the doorway. The change was great, her figure was smaller, her hair longer, everything about her almost perfect.

"Genetically no, emotionally yes."

Their eyes traveled to Rin's smiling figure on the floor, "Mommy's like Daddy now."

/Finale/

To wrap up this story, Kagome admitted to her fondness of her captor, as Sesshomaru did to her. The barriers disappeared, but the newly found freedom was slightly useless. The household soon found that anything they could possibly desire was within the walls of the estate.

Kagome later visited her grandfather, much to the shock of the entire village. Kikyou and Ayame found themselves forced into community service under the local priest. InuYasha and Kouga, much to Kagome's sadness, left the village to fight a local war against a lord whom had taken over the local city through corruption.

"I told you she'd return for her old grandfather!" the elder Higurashi shouted at all the pedestrians as he hobbled after his granddaughter.

Higurashi-sama indeed returned to live out his late years with his granddaughter in the castle. The boys often visited the village to keep themselves occupied. Kohaku, with time, gained control of his power and made money as a fortune teller at the village festivals. Souta earned himself a position in the village's judicial system. Shippou deemed himself the guardian of the entrance to the village, which was now enclosed by a brick wall with broken glass embedded around the edges.

Rin, to the impatience of her demon father, found herself a tutor in the village and asked him the questions that so plagued her young mind.

"Sensei-sama?"

"Hai, Rin-san?"

"What is sex?"

The teacher grew red as all of the other children, whom had been learning to add, turned with curiosity.

"What is a whore house?"

The man needed medication after each and every one of his classes to calm himself down, the future generation was steadily growing more astute in the art of... copulation.

Sango and Miroku, much to their happiness, had twins without air voids. However, much to the panic of the entire household, at the time of labor Sango seemed to give birth to... air.

"Miroku! Where is it! Where is the baby!"

Miroku looked down and promptly fainted.

"No, don't faint you moron!"

Much to Souta's discomfort, Kohaku had alerted him days before as to what would be happening, and he arrived just in time to be able to help. The aura around the baby helped him deliver, albeit sick while doing so, with great success.

Kagome and Sesshomaru's relationship grew day by day, their trust increased with their daily interaction. Sesshomaru's ability to communicate with others remained the same, much to their chagrin, but alas he had to allow himself time to change. He'd confided to Miroku that he only did it to please Kagome.

Kagome, after coming to accept who and what she was, slowly found herself inheriting the late Midoriko's powers and so set out to do justice to those whom she'd wronged. Midoriko and the sexually estranged henchman were given a fair trial in the village, though most of the village wanted to hang them without the legality. Instead they were taken by InuYasha and Kouga and forced into the war.

Until next time, this is the end of Tainted Silver.


End file.
